Every year, the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Committee on Bank Supervision (CBS) develops an operating plan that sets forth the agency’s supervision priorities and objectives.

The agency’s fiscal year for 2016 (the period for which the newly-released plan applies) begins on 1 October and ends on 30 September 2016. The OCC says that "compliance" will be one of its "priority objectives" in the coming fiscal year, along with changes in business models and strategies; the underwriting of credit risks and loans; cyber-security; and interest-rate risk.

When regulating both large and middle-sized banks, the OCC will be reviewing banks’ programmes for assessing the evolving cyber-threat environment and banks’ cyber-resilience. Examiners on regulatory visits will use the new "cyber-security assessment tool" in conjunction with information security and operational risk supervisory activities. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council developed this so-called tool to help institutions identify their risks and determine their "cyber-security preparedness."

When regulating governance and oversight at large banks, OCC examiners will be looking for "gaps," whereas at middle-sized banks they will be concentrating more on determining the adequacy of strategic, capital and succession planning.