Bankers Unite Behind Reforms at the Federal Reserve

Bankers and Fed officials are calling for reforms at the central bank, but it's unclear what specific changes they want to see. According to a recent survey by IntraFi, over 80% of bankers want the Fed to implement reforms, but there is no consensus on what those reforms should be.

The most popular idea among respondents was for the Fed to use a broader range of data in its decision-making, with 54% in favor. However, only 18% supported reducing communication from the Fed, while 43% were in favor of shrinking the balance sheet.

The survey found that smaller community banks are struggling and want changes at the Fed, particularly around technology and competition. Meanwhile, American Banker has published a list of top-performing banks with assets between $2 billion and $10 billion, based on data from 2025.

These banks have strong net interest margins, profitability in core lending operations, and solid loan and deposit growth. The Fed's next rate-setting committee meeting is this week, but the odds of a rate cut are at 0%, with 64% expecting no change.