The state of the credit union industry 2026 research report

Credit unions are ready for reinvention

Wipfli’s fifth state of the credit union industry report highlights how leaders are adapting strategies to meet modern member needs — strengthening digital capabilities, refining branch roles and preparing for a technology-driven member landscape.

Wipfli surveyed 100 credit union executives to understand their business outlook, pain points and strategic priorities for the year ahead.

In this survey, we learned:

• Confidence is strong: More than half (57%) of the executives we surveyed expect asset growth of 5% or more in the next 12 months.
• Digital initiatives are taking priority: Improving digital member engagement ranked as the most important strategy for the next 12 months, closely followed by data analytics/AI and accepting instant payments.
• Fraud and cyberthreats are rising: Cybersecurity (including fraud) was the top concern for the second consecutive year, surpassing the next-highest concern (fintech competition) by 22 percentage points. In the past year, 77% of respondents experienced at least one cybersecurity incident at their institution.
• Branch strategies are evolving: Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents plan to open new branches in the next year, and more than half (58%) plan to repurpose existing locations to support new banking experiences.

Download the full report for additional findings, plus perspective from Wipfli advisors.