Finanstilsynet’s priorities for 2026

Finanstilsynet’s priorities in 2026 for each of the six main goals:

1. Financially sound and well-capitalised financial institutions

Financially sound and well-capitalised financial institutions are a prerequisite for the stability of the financial system. Geopolitical changes and political unrest create significant uncertainty about international economic developments and increase the risk of financial crises.

In order to promote institutions’ ability to deal with unforeseen events, Finanstilsynet will give priority to:

• monitoring macroeconomic risks and vulnerabilities in individual institutions. This includes conducting stress tests of financial institutions and preparing and publishing industry analyses.
• overseeing institutions’ governance and internal control. Institutions shall have adequate risk management and governance arrangements, and the persons who manage and/or own financial institutions shall be fit and proper.
• maintaining the resilience of the financial system. This will be pursued through analytical work and supervision, and within frameworks that are effective and competitive for the industry.
• presenting data and assessments that provide insight into the operating parameters of supervised institutions.
• improving data quality in important reporting to Finanstilsynet.
• following up new regulations such as the Revised Capital Requirements Directive (CRD6) and securitisation regulations.

2. Robust infrastructure

A robust financial infrastructure is crucial for payments, trading and settlement to function properly. International tensions and rapid technological advances cause new vulnerabilities and changes in the risk landscape.

In order to contribute to a robust and resilient infrastructure, Finanstilsynet will give priority to:

• identifying weaknesses and vulnerabilities and summarising these in a risk and vulnerability analysis.
• helping ensure, through guidance and supervision, that market participants maintain sound control of ICT risk, cyber risk and other operational risks.
• focusing on complex corporate structures, outsourcing and inadequate governance and control, which may give rise to unclear lines of responsibility.
• focusing on contingency and preparedness measures, both within its own operations and in supervised institutions, to prevent and manage incidents in the financial system.

3. Fight against financial crime

Fighting economic crime is important to prevent financial losses, maintain trust in the financial system and protect our shared social values. 

In order to strengthen initiatives targeting financial crime, Finanstilsynet will give priority to:

• completing the establishment of its new office in Hamar, with emphasis on anti-financial crime efforts.
• strengthening compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing legislation.
• refining working methods, dialogue and collaboration internally and externally, including through periods of secondment at the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation
  and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime and the Norwegian Police Security Service.
• identifying and following up persons and institutions under supervision that have links to criminal networks and undertakings.
• enhancing oversight of services offered without the necessary authorisation (illegal activities), inter alia through better monitoring, early identification of high-risk entities and closer cooperation with other authorities. The use of digital tools will be further strengthened.

4. Investor protection

Reliable, adequate and timely information is essential to ensure investor confidence in the securities markets and sound capital allocation and pricing. An increasing number of consumers are investing in equities, mutual funds and crypto assets.

Finanstilsynet will contribute to sound market conduct and risk awareness among issuers and investors, including by giving priority to:

• overseeing that current and periodic information from listed companies is correct and timely.
• overseeing that auditors fulfil their role as trusted parties and perform audit engagements in compliance with legislation and good auditing practice.
• monitoring and analysing trades in the market, including by using a new market surveillance system to detect suspicious transactions.
• providing information and training to the general public, in particular to young investors, to enable them to make informed choices and understand the risks of investing. We will do this in cooperation with other public actors such as Ung.no and the National Digital Learning Arena (NDLA).

5. Consumer protection

Good consumer protection and effective competition are important for the individual consumer and for maintaining confidence in financial market participants. Institutions shall safeguard customer interests, paying due heed to customers’ capacity for understanding the product characteristics and the consequences their choices may have. 

In order to safeguard consumer interests and rights, Finanstilsynet will give priority to:

• conducting thematic inspections to ensure that institutions offer and distribute products and advice in a sound manner.
• overseeing occupational pension schemes and the distribution of loans, pension and mutual fund products and other financial products.
• entering into closer cooperation with other authorities, including the Consumer Authority, to prevent illegal activities such as pyramid schemes.

6. Effective crisis management

Preparedness to deal with crises is important in ensuring confidence in the financial system. A more severe threat landscape increases uncertainty. 2026 is the Total Defence Year in Norway.

We will give priority to strengthening preparedness in our own operations and in the financial industry in general to promote financial stability and well-functioning financial services even in a crisis situation.

In order to promote effective crisis management, Finanstilsynet will give priority to:

• following up changes in the European regulatory framework for bank resolution and digital operational resilience.
• following up challenges in supervised institutions.
• strengthening the capacity for the practical handling of crisis situations in supervised institutions.
• enhancing preparedness to handle crises that affect multiple institutions, entire sectors or large parts of society at the same time. Finanstilsynet will cooperate with other authorities on this.
• setting and following up MREL (minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities) for more financial institutions, which will improve the prospects for orderly resolution of small entities in crisis.
• helping introduce new regulations for the resolution of insurance undertakings and pension funds.