Wall Street Bonuses to Rise for Third Year
Wall Street bonuses are projected to increase for the third consecutive year in 2026, driven by strong investment banking fees. Bankers in equity sales and IPO underwriting will see the highest gains, while private credit incentives may decline.
Insights:
Wall Street bonuses will rise 20% to 30% for equity sales and trading professionals in the United States next year, marking a third consecutive year of gains. The projected increase comes despite rising interest rates and market volatility slowing dealmaking activity. Worldwide investment banking fees climbed 9% to $99.4B in the first nine months of the year, per LSEG data.
