Cornerstone Advisors' What's Going On in Banking Research Finds AI, Crypto, and Fraud Are Top of Mind for Banking Executives in 2026

Research reveals how forward-thinking banks and credit unions will navigate the financial services landscape in 2026.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornerstone Advisors announced today the release of its annual What's Going On in Banking research report, an in-depth exploration of how community banks and credit unions are responding to accelerating technology adoption, intensifying fraud threats, and growing competitive pressure from fintechs and crypto-native firms.

Based on a survey of 416 senior executives at banks and credit unions, What's Going On in Banking 2026: AI, Crypto, and Fraud: Oh My! finds that financial institutions remain broadly optimistic about the year ahead — but that optimism is increasingly shaped by the realities of operational execution, fraud losses, and the challenge of turning emerging technologies into measurable results.

"AI, crypto, and fraud are no longer future-state discussions — they're reshaping banking right now," says Ron Shevlin, chief research officer at Cornerstone Advisors and author of the report. "What separates leaders from laggards in 2026 won't be who experiments the most, but who operationalizes these technologies with discipline and purpose."

Key Findings Include:

• Generative AI moves rapidly into production. Nearly half of banks (49%) and 59% of credit unions have already deployed generative AI, with many more planning investments in 2026. While agentic AI adoption remains early, it is now being discussed at the executive or board level at more than half of institutions.
  
  
• Fraud becomes a balance-sheet issue. Roughly 40% of banks and 50% of credit unions experienced higher fraud-related losses in 2025, and most expect losses to increase again in 2026. First-party fraud now accounts for more than 40% of total fraud losses, prompting three-quarters of institutions to increase fraud prevention budgets.
  
  
• Crypto and tokenization enter the boardroom. While near-term deployment remains limited, over 70% of banks have discussed stablecoins at the board level, and more than half have discussed tokenized deposits or blockchain. Executives cite competitive pressure from fintechs and crypto firms as a key driver of interest.
  
  
• Optimism persists, with execution caveats. More than 8 in 10 executives are optimistic about the banking industry in 2026. However, concerns around deposit growth, efficiency, cybersecurity, and fraud continue to rank among top strategic priorities.
  
  
• Technology spending continues to rise, but execution gaps persist. More than 80% of banks and credit unions plan to increase technology spending in 2026, yet many continue to fall short on planned system deployments — highlighting an ongoing disconnect between strategy and implementation.

Now in its 11th year, the What's Going On in Banking report series is one of the industry's most widely cited studies of U.S. banks and credit unions in the $250 million to $50 billion asset range. The full 2026 study precedes two soon-to-be-released reports focused on commercial lending and fraud.

Download the free report here. 

Shevlin and Cornerstone CEO & Founding Partner Steve Williams will present findings from What's Going On in Banking 2026: AI, Crypto, and Fraud—Oh My! in a webinar on Feb. 25 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET. 

About Cornerstone Advisors

For over 20 years, Cornerstone Advisors has delivered gritty insights, bold strategies, and data-driven solutions to build smarter banks, credit unions, and fintechs. From technology systems selection and implementation to contract negotiations, performance improvement, vendor management, strategic planning, and merger and acquisition services, Cornerstone combines expertise with proprietary data and research to help financial institutions thrive in today's challenging environment.

Media Contact:
Cate Pitts, Editorial Director
Cornerstone Advisors
(480) 425-5203
[email protected]

SOURCE Cornerstone Advisors