ALEXANDRIA, Va.–NCUA shared additional details related to its 2026 Supervisory Priorities during a webinar.
According to a compilation of what was discussed as assembled by America’s Credit Unions, the webinar’s highlights included:
- The agency is rolling out 2025 exam flexibility changes. Many eligible credit unions can move to longer exam cycles, but not all received one in 2025 because exams were already scheduled;
- As of Jan. 1, 2026, NCUA reduced the standard document request list for risk-focused exams. Examiners will tailor requests, use a single point of contact, and coordinate up front on how documents are provided;
- NCUA encourages exam entrance meetings, raising disagreements during the exam rather than after the report is final, and clarified that “supplementary facts” or recommendations that are not documents of resolution or findings are not required corrective actions; and
- Staff stressed the need for strong controls, monitoring, and member education to address growing risks around real-time payments, fintech partnerships, and rising fraud trends like social engineering.
Elimination of Reputation Risk
America’s Credit Unions said NCUA staff also pointed to its prior actions to eliminate reputation risk in its exams, remove risk ratings from materials, and pursue a “no regulation by enforcement approach” that emphasizes” clear written rules rather than unwritten expectations.
The webinar can be viewed here.
