New survey of 183 U.S. financial institutions reveals compliance evolving into a strategic function
NASHVILLE, Tenn., December 09, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ncontracts, the leading provider of integrated compliance, risk, and vendor management solutions to the financial services industry, today announced the release of “The Future of Compliance: Benchmarking the People, Processes, and Pressures Shaping Compliance in 2026,” a comprehensive survey examining how financial institutions are navigating evolving compliance expectations and regulatory complexity.
The survey, which drew responses from 183 financial institutions across various asset sizes, charters, and geographies, reveals that compliance has evolved from a regulatory necessity to a strategic differentiator. However, the data also shows compliance departments operating under significant pressure, with lean staffing, static budgets, and expanding regulatory scope.
One notable finding is that compliance is gaining prominence at the leadership level. According to the survey, 82% of respondents say they are satisfied with board and management support, and 74% are satisfied with their institution’s compliance culture. More than half (56%) report stronger integration of compliance into policies, procedures, and training since 2021.
“What we’re seeing is compliance evolving into a strategic function that influences everything from risk culture to boardroom decision-making,” said Michael Berman, founder and CEO of Ncontracts. “Yet compliance teams are being asked to do more with the same resources, creating both challenges and opportunities for institutions willing to invest in modernization and talent development.”
Other key findings include:
Lean Teams Managing Expanding Mandates
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Nearly 4 in 10 institutions (38%) operate with just one or two compliance professionals
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25% of institutions in the $1-10 billion range still operate with only one to two compliance staff
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64% of teams expect their budgets to stay the same or decrease over the next 12-18 months
Widening Knowledge Gap
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64% of compliance professionals have eight or more years of experience
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24% of institutions say up to a quarter of their compliance staff will be eligible for retirement within five years
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9% could lose more than half their compliance workforce to retirement
Regulatory Uncertainty Tops Risk Concerns
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Regulatory uncertainty (38%) leads compliance risks in 2025
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Fair lending (33%), limited resources (30%), and staff training (30%) follow as top concerns
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Traditional risks like BSA/AML (25%) and cybersecurity (16%) have fallen from their 2021 peaks of 57% and 50%