Bank leaders expect competition for deposits and customer relationships to remain strong as emerging technologies continue to influence the banking sector, according to IntraFi’s Q2 2026 Bank Executive Business Outlook Survey.
Nearly all respondents—99%—believe competition for deposits will either remain high or become even more intense over the next year. At the same time, 63% said their banks could be somewhat or very likely to lose a significant share of operating deposits within the next two years if stablecoin issuers or associated platforms are permitted to provide rewards comparable to interest earned on traditional deposits. Another 52% believe AI-driven financial advice could eventually threaten banks’ relationships with customers around deposits and payments.
“Bankers are reporting a tough competitive environment right now and don’t see that changing anytime soon,” said Mark Jacobsen, CEO and cofounder of IntraFi.
Bank executives also foresee continued pressure on funding. Only 9% expect funding costs to ease over the next 12 months, while 38% anticipate stronger demand for loans. Meanwhile, 95% expect access to capital to either remain stable or improve.
Additional Survey Highlights
Economic outlook: 78% of respondents expect economic conditions to remain unchanged or deteriorate over the coming year. Federal Reserve policy: 54% believe the Fed should consider additional types of data when making monetary policy decisions, while 43% favor further reductions in the central bank’s balance sheet. Interest rates: When the survey was conducted, 68% of executives expected the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged through the remainder of 2026. Nearly all respondents—99%—believe competition for deposits will either remain high or become even more intense over the next year. At the same time, 63% said their banks could be somewhat or very likely to lose a significant share of operating deposits within the next two years if stablecoin issuers or associated platforms are permitted to provide rewards comparable to interest earned on traditional deposits. Another 52% believe AI-driven financial advice could eventually threaten banks’ relationships with customers around deposits and payments.
“Bankers are reporting a tough competitive environment right now and don’t see that changing anytime soon,” said Mark Jacobsen, CEO and cofounder of IntraFi.
Bank executives also foresee continued pressure on funding. Only 9% expect funding costs to ease over the next 12 months, while 38% anticipate stronger demand for loans. Meanwhile, 95% expect access to capital to either remain stable or improve.
Additional Survey Highlights
IntraFi conducted its Q2 2026 Bank Executive Business Outlook Survey online between June 30 and July 15, 2026. The survey gathered responses from 402 bank CEOs, presidents, CFOs and COOs across the United States.