The Top Issues in Financial Industry Compliance

Financial institutions are “operating in a paradox—lower federal oversight but higher, more complex compliance demands.” That is how Christopher J. Boersma, ProSight’s product manager of compliance with learning and development, sums up the environment captured in the 2026 ProSight Compliance Outlook Survey, which will be released May 6.

The survey, based on 150 responses from compliance leaders across institutions of varying sizes, suggests that federal priorities feel clearer for now. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they have a clear view of federal regulatory and supervisory priorities over the next three years, and more than 90% said they are likely to focus on material financial risks rather than “process-based controls of nonfinancial risks, ‘box-checking,’ and pro-forma documentation.”

But clearer federal priorities have not eliminated regulatory complexity. Boersma said institutions are struggling with “a conflict between federal deregulation and numerous and inconsistent state-level laws regarding AI, privacy, digital assets, and consumer protection.” More than half of respondents also see the current environment as a short-term shift that could change under a future administration.

Technology risks are demanding more attention. The survey’s combined category of data privacy, cybersecurity, and information security was the most-selected choice (78%) for the compliance area that will demand the most time, management attention, and resources over the next three years. Digital assets followed at 61%, and payment systems at 58%.

Data, automation, and AI are becoming central to the response. The top strategic priority named by respondents was “making better use of data analytics and automation to monitor and manage compliance risk,” cited by 38% of respondents, while 29% noted “developing compliance frameworks for AI and advanced analytics.”

The takeaway: The pressure may be changing shape, but it is not going away. Compliance leaders are preparing for a world that feels clearer in some ways, but more fragmented, digital, and demanding in others. Look for a detailed report on May 6 at ProSightFA.org.