Cybersecurity and fraud are the top two risks that worry bank board members and executives in 2026, with concern about regulatory risk receding, according to a new survey on bank risks by Bank Director.
Ninety-two percent of bank board members and executives ranked cybersecurity as a top risk to their institutions, while 79% ranked fraud as a top risk. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.) Other top risks included credit (60%), strategic (42%) and interest rate risk (42%). Bank Director noted that the percentage of respondents citing regulatory risk as a top risk declined from 55% last year to 28% this year as the Trump administration pursued a deregulatory agenda.
Most bank executives said that over the past year, their banks have improved training for bank staff about fraud and scams. Most respondents also said they regularly share with their boards the number of suspicious activity reports their institutions have filed, as well as the types of fraud and scams being reported by customers.
