The Federal Reserve is pressing pause on changing how much capital big banks need to hold in reserve. Current stress capital buffer requirements will remain locked in place through the 2026 testing cycle, with any adjustments pushed to after the 2027 stress test.
The decision, finalized on February 4, 2026, means large banks get at least another year of regulatory predictability.
What the Fed is actually doing
The stress capital buffer, or SCB, is the cushion the Fed requires banks to maintain above minimum capital levels. It’s determined by annual stress tests, formally known as the Dodd-Frank Act Stress Test, or DFAST.
For 2026, the Fed is keeping the existing buffers in place regardless of what the stress tests reveal. The June 2026 results confirmed this: no changes to capital requirements, no impact on shareholder payouts.
