The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have announced the updated asset-size thresholds for “small bank” and “intermediate small bank” classifications under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) for 2026.
The CRA regulations set the criteria by which agencies evaluate how well financial institutions meet the credit needs of their communities, including those in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. These evaluations are conducted while ensuring that banks operate safely and soundly. Banks are subject to different examination procedures depending on their asset-size classification.
Each year, these thresholds are adjusted based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which tracks inflation. For 2026, a 2.51 percent increase in the CPI-W led to new thresholds for small and intermediate small banks.
The updated thresholds will apply from either January 1, 2026 or from their publication date in the Federal Register, through December 31, 2026. A comprehensive list of current and historical asset-size thresholds is available on the agencies’ website.
