As Threats Converge, Banks Rethink Fraud-Cyber Cooperation
Criminals today move seamlessly across digital channels. Banks, for the most part, still have gaps. That’s due in large part to fragmented technology. As fraud and cyber threats increasingly overlap, many financial institutions are discovering that their biggest vulnerability is not detection, but internal coordination. Fraud teams, cybersecurity teams, and frontline staff often investigate the same incident separately, using different systems, timelines, and definitions of success. This disconnect can […]
Branch Strategy, Repriced
Branch banking’s obituary was premature. ProSight’s latest Perspectives report finds branches still matter most for “difficult or complex transactions”—often the ones that generate the most revenue. The data also challenges the assumption that physical branches are primarily valued by older customers: in the 2026 ProSight Banking Outlook, a survey of 1,000 respondents conducted in September, […]
Can AI Help Bank Marketing Connect with Humans?
Banking professionals wonder whether generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) is a poor substitute for the human touch, experience, and nuance that customers appreciate in an industry built on trust and reliability. Considering the risks and doing the due diligence is a must before AI adoption, including for marketing teams. But what if gen AI can […]
A Practical CRO Playbook for Tech Risk, Fraud, and Vendor Sprawl
Financial and operational risks are accelerating at North America’s banks—fueled by sophisticated criminal schemes and by technology exposure tied to new offerings and complex third-party networks. In a ProSight virtual conference session that also drew on the 2026 ProSight CRO Outlook Survey, three chief risk officers laid out what they’re prioritizing right now. They also […]
Leveraging AI to Fortify Risk Management and Compliance
A version of this Q&A originally ran in the October Executive Report. Explore the issue, Compliance and Risk: Building Operational Resiliency, for more insights on supporting sustainable growth amid omnipresent uncertainties in a speedier, technology-reliant marketplace. Even as financial institutions explore more use cases for automation and artificial intelligence (AI)—including for catching up on contact […]
Generational Consumption Changes Are Redefining Risk in Alcoholic-Beverage Makers
Declining alcohol consumption among younger age groups is reshaping the financial outlook of the nation’s breweries, wineries, and distilleries, and the suppliers that serve them. For risk management professionals, it is essential to understand how this slow-but-steady erosion in alcohol consumption impacts borrower resilience, revenue predictability, and collateral values. Recent data from Gallup shows that […]
CROs Are Focusing on Technology Amid Accelerating Risks
Financial and operational risks are accelerating at North America’s banks, driven largely by sophisticated criminal schemes and banks’ technology exposure tied to new offerings that can require collaboration with complex networks of third parties. In response, risk leaders are calling for strengthening their institutions’ risk governance infrastructure, data management, IT systems, and oversight of third-party […]
CRO Panel Recommends Cultural and Practice Adaptability As Risk Landscape Evolves
Chief risk officers from leading financial services companies highlighted the growing interconnections of risk in banking and the importance of adapting to a new regulatory environment at a recent member event organized by the NYC Chapter of RMA. Moderated by Jonathan Hummel, CRO for the Americas at Deutsche Bank, the panel included CROs Alex Golten […]
What To Do With an Inherited Troubled Loan?
When banks acquire other institutions, they often inherit credits that don’t neatly fit their own standards. In the latest installment of Jason Alpert’s Workout Window column, a newly acquired lower-middle-market borrower has a $5.25 million revolving line that was loosely structured, lightly monitored, and routinely over-advanced by their previous bank. Now the borrower is asking […]
What Banks Can Do Now To Get Ahead of Geopolitical Risk
Geopolitical risk is no longer something only global banks need to track. A recent ProSight article by Matt Schiavenza describes how tariffs, supply-chain shocks, technological disruption, and fast-moving global events are reshaping banks’ risk profiles and day-to-day decisions. Ludwig Advisors’ Mark Midkiff noted that foreign exchange, interest-rate, and stock markets are closely tied to geopolitical […]
SWIFT’s Blockchain Pivot: A Practical Checklist for Banks
SWIFT—the network banks use to send most cross-border payment instructions—is piloting a blockchain-based payments platform for digital assets. Developed with Consensys, the pilot is designed to use smart contracts, connect with legacy rails, and enable 24/7 cross-border payments. With the GENIUS Act clearing space for U.S. banks to use stablecoins, KPMG’s Eamonn Maguire, a managing […]
The Challenge of Balancing Fraud Mitigation and Customer Experience
Every financial institution wants a seamless experience for their customers. That includes a frictionless authentication experience that won’t leave customers frustrated, or feeling like a fraudster themselves. Banks also know that friction is part of fraud mitigation, so a certain amount is unavoidable. But how much friction is enough? Or too much? We sat down […]
Proactive Moves for All Banks Touched by Geopolitical Risk
In recent years, the post-World War II pact guiding global affairs has begun to come apart. Trade friction is a primary catalyst. Revenue-generating tariffs in developed and developing countries to bridge uneven growth, pay off debt, or exert power have impeded free trade, while regional deals further entangle the global transactional web. Most prominently, China’s […]
Insider Threats, HIPAA, and What Banks Need To Keep in View
Insider Threats, HIPAA, and What Banks Need To Keep in View Insider threats are growing in frequency, cost, and impact. In a recent RMA Journal article, Stephany Head—a strategic legal and policy professional who has advised federal agencies—notes that, according to the “2024 Insider Threat Report” by Cybersecurity Insiders, “83% of organizations reported at least […]
Community Bank Leaders on Fraud, Credit, and Growth
Community bank leaders are heading into the new year focused on three things: fast-changing fraud, a long credit cycle with no obvious turning point, and the need to compete on service and differentiation in their own markets. Those themes anchored a wide-ranging conversation at ProSight’s Annual Risk, Compliance, and Fraud Virtual Conference, where members of […]
SWIFT Goes On-Chain: A First Look for Banks
SWIFT—the network banks use to exchange cross-border payment messages—is moving beyond messaging to pilot a shared-ledger platform aimed at faster, lower-friction cross-border settlement. We asked KPMG’s Eamonn Maguire, managing director in the customer and operations financial services practice, and his colleague Brian Consolvo, a principal in the advisory practice, to explain what this shift looks […]
Ask the Workout Window: A Lender Who Inherited a Troubled Loan Asks, ‘Should We Stay or Should We Go?’
In each issue of The RMA Journal by ProSight, veteran workout leader Jason Alpert gives advice on thorny workout challenges. Have a challenge you would like Jason to address? Send your question to [email protected]. QUESTION: Jason, my bank, a large regional, recently completed the acquisition of a smaller community institution and is in the process of […]
Community Banker Perspectives on Fighting Fraud, Respecting the Credit Cycle, and Seizing Opportunities
Community banking leaders live, work, and invest alongside the businesses, families, and individuals they serve. That’s a competitive advantage when a situation calls for high-touch banking, they say. When new technology can reinforce the local-banking touch—such as with mobile banking to reduce staffing burdens and encourage talent upskilling, or through data analysis that informs smarter […]
The Rise and Risks of NDFIs: What Banks Need To Know
Non-depository financial institutions (NDFIs) have become a powerful force in U.S. credit markets—and a growing area of exposure for banks. As of Q1 2025, banks held $1.14 trillion in loans to NDFIs, according to the St. Louis Fed, with nearly half of that tied to mortgage and private credit intermediaries. The relationships can be profitable. […]
Repo Rates Are Rising. Here’s What Banks Should Watch
Short-term dollar funding is getting bumpy again—and the Fed is reportedly working behind the scenes to keep it from turning into a problem. The general collateral (GC) repo rate—the price banks and dealers pay to borrow overnight cash against Treasurys or other high-quality securities—has been trading above the top of the Fed’s target range even […]
Closing the Gaps in Workplace Security by ProSight Financial Association
Cyber may grab the headlines, but certified security consultant Felix P. Nater’s message to employers is blunt: “Companies have a moral, ethical, and legal responsibility to provide employees safe work environments free from potential acts of violence.” In a recent Q&A with ProSight, the president of Nater Associates Ltd. and retired U.S. Postal Inspector and […]
Deposit Strategy in a Rate-Cut Cycle: A New Spin
In a typical easing cycle, banks cut deposit rates quickly and lending rates more slowly—capturing margin as long as deposits and loan demand hold. But for some banks, this current cycle is different. Structural shifts in depositor behavior, driven largely by younger consumers, digital adoption, and nonbank competition, are prompting some institutions to revisit the […]
Risk IRL: Mitigating Security Risks Offline Requires a Proactive Approach
In an age when cyberattacks and data breaches dominate headspace, several high-profile incidents—from workplace violence to threats against corporate executives—have reminded us that protecting people and physical sites is just as critical as safeguarding networks. The merging of cyber and physical security vulnerabilities means companies must think holistically about security, ensuring that prevention, swift intervention, […]
Deposit Rates and an Easing Fed: A Contrarian View
Deposit Rates and an Easing Fed: A Contrarian View Banks usually cut deposit rates during Federal Reserve easing cycles, including the one we’ve just entered. When they do, the reductions are often bigger and happen faster than those on lending rates. The benefit accrues to net interest income so long as deposit levels and loan […]
Cyber, Fraud, and AI: Linked Risks, Multiple Entry Points
Technology and cyber risk now sit at the center of numerous banking challenges—and they’re increasingly fueling fraud. In ProSight’s 2026 CRO Outlook Survey, 74% of respondents ranked technology and cyber among their top five risks. CROs said the ongoing push toward digitalization and AI gives bad actors more ways in, while connecting new systems to old infrastructure creates integration weak spots. Geopolitical […]
The Rise and Risks of NDFIs by ProSight Financial Association
In a recent report, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis detailed the size of the non-depository financial institutions (NDFIs) sector and the level of exposure traditional banks have to it. As of first-quarter 2025, according to the St. Louis Fed, U.S. banks held $1.14 trillion in loans outstanding to NDFIs, whose products are not […]
AI in Risk Management: From Pilots to Production
Banks are no longer treating artificial intelligence as an experiment. In The ProSight 2026 CRO Outlook Survey— published by ProSight Financial Association, just out this week—54% of respondents said their institutions have AI in production, and 48% expect to have AI deployed in risk in the next two years. The focus has shifted from testing […]
What the OCC’s New Approach Means for Community Banks
The OCC’s new “risk-based” supervision model for community banks is a notable shift—one that gives smaller institutions more breathing room, but also more responsibility. The regulator’s October announcement promises to “relieve these banks of regulatory burden and unproductive reporting requirements,” tailoring oversight to each institution’s unique risk profile. For community banks, experts say in a […]
Quantum Readiness: Why Banks Can’t Afford To Wait
The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) recently warned the industry against “crypto-procrastination”—delaying preparation for the quantum era. Its September white paper urges global coordination on post-quantum cryptography (PQC), noting: “The time to prepare for quantum computing is arguably growing shorter, and the risks to security and resilience are clear.” Dean Yoost, author […]
Culture Is the Strategy: Lessons From Huntington’s Matt Newman
Culture has become a top-tier concern for many banks—one that goes far beyond HR. In ProSight’s 2025 CRO Outlook Survey, 10% of respondents listed culture among their top risks, reflecting how reputation, engagement, and even risk management depend on it. Huntington National Bank Enterprise Culture and Onboarding Director Matt Newman recently told ProSight that culture […]
Private Credit’s Boom: What Bankers Need To Watch
The $2.5 trillion private credit market is reshaping corporate lending—and blurring the lines between banks and nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs). Once focused on “filling the gap” between bank loans and public markets, private credit has expanded into bigger, riskier deals. As Charles Cohen of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) told ProSight, “Private credit is potential […]
Considering the GENIUS Act’s Impact on Traditional Banking
The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act is landmark legislation aimed at creating a comprehensive regulatory framework for payment stablecoins in the U.S. Signed into law in July 2025, this first-of-its kind federal guidance lays policy groundwork for integrating digital assets into mainstream finance. Estimates of the growth in stablecoin market […]
OCC Actions on Community Bank Supervision Offer a Moment for Risk Reflections
Community banks interpreting recent OCC supervisory changes might consider re-examining their risk profiles and shifting effort to risk management processes and reporting in areas of greatest institutional concern, experts say. With the regulator moving away from what some observers felt was a one-size-fits-most approach to community-bank oversight, going deep in key risks rather than broad […]
The 2026 ProSight Financial Association CRO Outlook Survey: Technology’s Promise and Peril
This report is based on the 2026 ProSight Financial Association CRO Outlook Survey, which was conducted in August and September of 2025 and prepared in collaboration with Oliver Wyman. Find out more about the survey, including the demographic profile of respondents, here. In a year defined by economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension, and rapid technological change, […]
The Rise of Private Credit: Trends, Risks and Competitive Implications for Banks
The rapid ascension of the private credit market has transformed the credit landscape, offering both competition to traditional banks and an alternative avenue of lending. But regulators have expressed concerns about whether banks’ escalating exposure to opaque and lightly regulated private credit funds could make them more vulnerable to systemic risks, particularly during times of […]
Commercial Real Estate’s Uneven Recovery—and What Banks Can Learn
Our recent webcast featuring Trepp’s Ian McCready and Andy Boettcher offered a detailed snapshot of the commercial real estate (CRE) and corporate loan markets heading into year-end 2025. The message: conditions in commercial real estate are improving but patchy, corporate lending remains comparatively stable, and banks’ credit decisions matter more than ever. Here are some […]
Making M&A Work: Lessons That Still Hold Up
After several quiet years, bank mergers are heating up again. Fifth Third’s recent $11 billion deal for Comerica has analysts predicting “a unique window of opportunity” for regional and community banks to pursue acquisitions in a friendlier regulatory environment. Wells Fargo Head of U.S. Large-Cap Bank Research Mike Mayo calls it “the period of the […]
Building Resilience That Goes Beyond Compliance
A new joint report from RMA’s Toronto Chapter and Canada’s Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) explores how banks can strengthen operational resilience in an era of constant disruption. Drawing on perspectives from regulators and financial institutions (last week, the chapter held an executive roundtable with the large Canadian banks), the report outlines […]
Credit at the Core, Compliance and Fraud in Focus
The ProSight Annual Risk, Compliance, and Fraud Virtual Conference brings together industry leaders and subject-matter experts to discuss what’s on the horizon for financial service professionals. Dissecting the disruptors and challenges elevating credit risk in loan portfolios is critical. So is addressing persistent fraud and cyber risk while managing changes in compliance standards. We grabbed […]
Lending Through Agriculture’s Rough Patch
Low crop prices, elevated input costs, and shifting trade policies are creating a tougher environment for U.S. farmers—and by extension, their lenders. As Farmer Mac’s chief economist Jackson Takach recently told ProSight, managing agricultural credit risk through today’s volatility requires more communication, more flexibility, and more attention to liquidity. Here are his recommendations: Engage borrowers […]
Managing Tech Risk Is Everyone’s Job: Updates to ProSight’s Framework
ProSight’s revised Technology Risk Framework reflects five years of member feedback and hard-won lessons. The update builds on the original 2020 tool by refining terms, adding flexibility for different risk taxonomies, and stressing a point many banks are still learning: technology risk isn’t just IT’s problem. The revision also offers practical guidance institutions can use […]
Compliance Chiefs on Growth, Risk, and the Future of AI
Chief compliance officers are looking beyond the day-to-day. Senior leaders from Frost Bank, PNC, and Broadway Bank told ProSight how they’re preparing compliance functions for growth, regulatory shifts, and new technology. Their insights offer several big-picture lessons for banks looking to strengthen compliance in a fast-changing environment. Plan early for growth. Crossing regulatory thresholds is […]