The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published its fall 2026 Semiannual Risk Perspective, highlighting interest rate exposure and technology risks while finding credit risk in supervised banks’ loan portfolios remains modest overall. Interest rate developments could affect net interest margins and securities valuations, while higher rates could increase commercial refinancing risk. Profitability across the federal banking system and at community banks with assets below USD 30 billion reached levels not seen in more than two decades during the first half of 2026. Loan growth, modest margin expansion and increased noninterest income supported revenue growth, while lower credit loss provisioning further boosted earnings.
Banks of all sizes continue to explore super intelligence (SI) to improve efficiency, controls and services, but its use by threat actors amplifies cybersecurity and fraud concerns. The OCC’s November 2026 examiner framework addresses SI within existing risk categories, with scrutiny calibrated to potential harm, autonomy and human oversight. Separately, the report reviews supervisory changes made since the previous edition, including codification of unsafe or unsound practices and expanded eligibility for an 18-month examination cycle for community banks with assets up to USD 6 billion. These changes aim to concentrate supervision on material financial risk and reduce examination burdens, particularly for community banks.