Fox Business reports that, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, those said to be interested include Morgan Stanley and PNC Bank.

People with knowledge of the matter say banking regulators increasingly compare the current state of the banking system to the savings and loans crisis of the late 1980s, when so-called thrifts heavily invested in risky assets collapsed en masse.

"In this uncertain environment, big players who have solid funding will be buyers and the weakest will get bought," said Chris Whalen, Chairman Whalen Global Advisors in New York.

" First Republic is an attractive acquisition for a large advisory firm and regulators would likely approve it."

Sources with knowledge of the potential buyout say a deal could come within days, but it's not guaranteed.

"Everyone is looking at buying First Republic," said one CEO directly involved in the bailout.

"It's a great bank suffering from a liquidity crisis."

The question is - will the Biden admin allow a bank merger? Paging Liz Warren!