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Survey: What’s top of mind for financial institution leaders in 2026

Kate Randazzo
January 13, 2026
0 min read

AI, fraud detection, and other community financial institution priorities for 2026

As 2026 begins, community financial institution leaders are balancing innovation with persistent market pressures. Insights from Abrigo’s annual customer webinar and survey reveal five key areas that are shaping community financial institution priorities in 2026: AI adoption, fraud mitigation, deposit strategies, data utilization, and operational efficiency.

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AI adoption is accelerating, but not without barriers

The pace of AI implementation continues to pick up, with more than 75% of surveyed institutions reporting they are adopting or planning to adopt AI tools in 2026—a threefold increase from the previous year. Popular use cases include loan decisioning, fraud monitoring, allowance narratives, and onboarding efficiencies. However, barriers remain. Top concerns include data quality, limited internal expertise, and regulatory uncertainty. Community financial institution priorities in 2026 must include upskilling teams and implementing AI in controlled, explainable ways to meet operational goals and regulator expectations.

Deposit competition remains intense

As market competition and rate pressure persist, deposit strategy has emerged as a core concern. Institutions are turning to data analytics to refine their pricing strategies, manage liquidity risk, and better understand customer behaviors. The ability to make data-driven decisions quickly is becoming a differentiator. 

Despite growing access to dashboards and reporting tools, only 26% of surveyed institutions consider themselves “very effective” at using data for decision-making. Community financial institution priorities in 2026 must address this gap. Investing in platforms that centralize data and deliver curated insights can help leaders move from reactive to strategic. Better data usage supports more informed loan decisions, more effective risk management, and a stronger customer experience.

Fraud is evolving—and financial institutions are responding

Fraud remains a top risk, with check and wire fraud being the primary concerns. The coming year brings increased focus on ACH and FedNow fraud as these payment rails become more widely adopted. Community financial institution priorities in 2026 include investing in tools that provide real-time visibility and leveraging platforms that reduce both fraud losses and staff burden. One institution reported intercepting a $190,000 counterfeit check with the help of Abrigo Fraud Detection, underscoring the tangible value of a proactive approach.

Artificial intelligence has quickly become both a red flag and a green light for consumers. According to Abrigo Fraud Survey data,  while concern about AI is rising, so is trust in how it can be used to prevent fraud. In 2025, 44% of consumers and an impressive 69% of small business owners stated that they would feel safer if their institution used AI-powered fraud detection. People are beginning to accept that fraudsters are using advanced tools, and they want their banks and credit unions to fight back with equally sophisticated defenses.

Doing more with less

Community financial institutions continue to face headwinds around staffing and resource limitations. Many are leaning into technology partnerships that allow them to automate workflows and redirect staff to higher-value tasks. Whether it’s modernizing the loan origination process or improving fraud detection, automation is not about replacement—it’s about enabling institutions to work smarter, not harder.

As the industry moves forward, community financial institution priorities in 2026 are clear: reduce risk, increase efficiency, and stay ahead of customer and regulatory expectations. With the right tools and partners, institutions can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.

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About the Author

Kate Randazzo

Content Marketing Manager
Kate Randazzo is a Content Marketing Manager at Abrigo, where she works with industry thought leaders to create digital content that helps financial institutions better serve their customers. Before joining Abrigo, Kate managed social media and produced articles for Campbell University’s quarterly magazine and other university content initiatives. She earned

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About Abrigo

Abrigo enables U.S. financial institutions to support their communities through technology that fights financial crime, grows loans and deposits, and optimizes risk. Abrigo's platform centralizes the institution's data, creates a digital user experience, ensures compliance, and delivers efficiency for scale and profitable growth.

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