Reuters: Fed weighs raising bank oversight thresholds, with top tier potentially near $960 billion

Reuters reported at 10:02 UTC on September 25 that four people familiar with the Federal Reserve's work said supervisors were considering reindexing bank asset thresholds to account for economic growth. Three expected a proposal could emerge later in 2026. A Fed spokesperson declined to comment, and the central bank has not published a formal proposal or firm timetable.

The current US framework steps up requirements when banks reach $100 billion, $250 billion and $700 billion in assets. The sources said the highest tier could move to about $960 billion or near $1 trillion, while some additional Fed-set requirements now triggered around $100 billion could move to roughly $150 billion. Those figures remain under discussion and are not final policy.

Requirements connected to the thresholds can include the frequency of stress tests, liquidity rules, capital planning and supervisory reporting. Some rules set directly by Congress cannot be changed unilaterally by the Fed. Reuters said the work is focused on additional requirements where the central bank has discretion.

Banks including U.S. Bancorp, Capital One, PNC, Truist, Western Alliance, Zions and Pinnacle could gain more room for asset growth or transactions if the changes take effect, potentially encouraging consolidation among midsize lenders. That is Reuters' analysis of the possible thresholds and does not mean any transaction has been announced.

Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said publicly in January that the central bank would consider reindexing thresholds, potentially using growth in nominal gross domestic product. That provides public background for the policy direction but does not confirm the specific thresholds reported by Reuters.

Verification status: developing (Reuters cited four knowledgeable sources; the Fed declined to comment and has not issued a formal proposal). News value: A-level major news. Origin: United States. Primary section: Economy. Related region: World. Source time: September 25, 2026, 10:02 UTC. N Globe report time: September 25, 2026, 11:03 UTC.