The financial deregulation of the early 1980s was designed to benefit depository institutions, especially the thrift industry, but it also altered the composition of the market. The DIDMCA removed interest rate ceilings on deposits, which removed the interest rate advantage that thrifts had held over banks.

The 1980s were defined by a massive wave of deregulation in the United States and the UK, aimed at increasing competition and reducing government overhead. A primary example is the Airline Deregulation Act (passed in late 1978 but fully felt in the early 80s), which allowed airlines to set their own fares and routes, leading to the rise of budget carriers. Another major example is Financial Deregulation, specifically the loosening of "Regulation Q" which limited interest rates on savings accounts, and the erosion of the Glass-Steagall Act's barriers between commercial and investment banking. The Telecommunications industry also saw a massive shift with the 1984 breakup of the "Ma Bell" AT&T monopoly into several "Baby Bells." Lastly, the Trucking and Railroad industries were deregulated via the Staggers Rail Act and the Motor Carrier Act, which lowered shipping costs but led to the consolidation of many smaller companies. These moves fundamentally reshaped the global economy into the more competitive, albeit more volatile, system we see today.