WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve Board and the FDIC announced updated 2026 asset-size thresholds under the Community Reinvestment Act, reflecting inflation adjustments that will determine how banks are examined for compliance.
Based on a 2.51% increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) through November 2025, a “small bank” will be defined as an institution with less than $1.649 billion in assets as of Dec. 31 of either of the prior two calendar years. An “intermediate small bank” will be a small institution with at least $412 million in assets as of Dec. 31 of both of the prior two calendar years, and less than $1.649 billion as of Dec. 31 of either of the prior two calendar years.
The agencies reminded that CRA rules establish how regulators evaluate an institution’s record of meeting community credit needs, including in low- and moderate-income areas, while operating in a safe and sound manner. Examination standards vary based on an institution’s asset size.
The updated thresholds take effect Jan. 1, 2026, or upon publication in the Federal Register—whichever is later—and remain in place through Dec. 31, 2026.