The chief executives of the nation’s six largest financial institutions all saw their compensation packages jump significantly following a banner year in 2025. Each leader earned $40 million or more in total compensation.
Collectively, their pay increased by $45.3 million from the previous year, reaching a combined total of $258 million, according to regulatory filings. This marked the second-highest collective increase on record, with the majority of the compensation coming in the form of stock-linked incentives rather than cash.
The CEO of one major investment bank received the largest pay bump among his peers. Having taken the top role in January 2024, his total annual compensation jumped 32% to $45 million, making him the second-highest-paid chief in the group.
2025 was also a pivotal year for another banking giant and its leader, as regulators finally loosened a long-standing restriction that had capped the bank’s growth. The CEO’s compensation rose 28% to $40 million, which was still the lowest figure among the six executives.
The surge in pay followed a year of strong performance for bank stocks, which outperformed major market averages with gains ranging from 24% to 64%. This was largely driven by rising revenues from their investment divisions and optimism around potential regulatory changes that could make lending easier.
Other CEOs in the group saw substantial increases as well, with pay rises ranging from 10% to 22%, bringing their total compensation to between $41 million and $47 million.
Looking ahead, bankers remain optimistic about dealmaking, lending, and trading activity in 2026. One CEO noted that investment banking activity is strong, with current revenue running at a healthy pace. Another predicted a “constructive year for capital markets,” while also cautioning that an unforeseen slowdown in the deals market remains a possibility.
So far in 2026, however, most big bank stocks are down. Amid this trend, the industry is also navigating the impact of artificial intelligence. Some analysts suggest that AI may not pose an existential threat, as regulators are expected to require that banks maintain human oversight even as they deploy new AI tools.