Wall Street Banks are Paying Their CEOs Like it’s 2006 Again

After years of restraint following the 2008 global financial crisis, Wall Street is handing CEOs a record payout. Chief executive officers at the top US banks all received annual compensation of at least $40 million, with their total pay surpassing records set in 2006 and 2021. 

The payouts reflect a banner year for the banking industry, with the nation’s top financial firms posting their biggest annual earnings since 2021. JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bank of America boosted their overall bonus pools for their bankers and traders by at least 10%, as the businesses benefited from a banner year in dealmaking and market activity. 

“Pay-wise, CEOs had a great year,” Alan Johnson, managing director of compensation consultant Johnson Associates Inc., said in an interview. “The banks had a great year, with minimal losses and great profits. I think they have managed themselves very well.” 

Bloomberg / February 14, 2026