Updated

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency reported on November 12, 2026, the key risks facing the federal banking system in its Semiannual Risk Perspective for Fall 2026. The report is a regular supervisory assessment of risks across national banks, and the headline itself gave no specific figures or market reaction. The OCC highlighted credit, market, compliance, and operational risks as its key risk themes. It reported that profitability for the federal banking system and for community banks, defined as banks with assets under $30 billion, rose during the first half of 2026 to levels not seen in more than two decades. Loan growth, a modest expansion of net interest margins, and higher non-interest income drove robust revenue growth, and lower provisioning for credit losses further supported net income. Since the previous report, the OCC has continued to reset its risk tolerance and make its supervisory policies more risk-based. Specific actions include codifying unsafe or unsound practices and expanding eligibility for an 18-month exam cycle to community banks with up to $6 billion in assets. The OCC said these changes aim to focus supervision on material financial risk and reduce examination burden, especially for community banks.