IOSCO Sets 2026 Agenda Around Market Resilience, Investor Protection and AI Supervision
IOSCO has published its 2026 Work Program, outlining a wide-ranging regulatory agenda aimed at strengthening global capital markets as the industry navigates increasing technological disruption, growing private market influence, and persistent investor protection challenges.
Building on its 2025 priorities, IOSCO said it will maintain its focus on improving market resilience and effectiveness, while expanding workstreams covering crypto assets, artificial intelligence, and the evolving structure of public and private markets.
The international securities regulator identified five strategic priorities for 2026: strengthening financial resilience and market effectiveness, protecting investors, monitoring the evolution of public and private markets, supporting technological transformation, and promoting regulatory cooperation and effectiveness.
IOSCO targets derivatives reporting fragmentation and market structure risks
Strengthening financial resilience remains a central pillar of IOSCO’s mandate in 2026, with the regulator set to finalize several ongoing workstreams already underway.
IOSCO said it will complete reviews of the IOSCO Principles for the Valuation of Collective Investment Schemes, as well as its Principles and Standards for Disclosures in Secondary Markets. It will also finalize its targeted implementation review of the IOSCO Commodity Derivatives Principles.
In addition to these existing workstreams, IOSCO highlighted new initiatives for 2026, including efforts to address over-the-counter derivatives reporting fragmentation, a long-running industry concern that has created inconsistencies in data quality across jurisdictions.
IOSCO also plans to examine the impact of market microstructures on liquidity and will assess the implications of extended trading hours on equity trading venues, an issue gaining relevance as platforms explore longer trading sessions and 24/5 models.
The regulator said it will contribute to the Financial Stability Board’s work on non-bank data availability, use, and quality, and may also support follow-up work on leverage in .
IOSCO will also continue work with CPMI-IOSCO to strengthen the operational resilience of financial market infrastructures, with specific attention on and cyber resilience frameworks.
Takeaway
First IOSCO TechSprint with FCA AI Lab to focus on investor education
Investor protection remains a major focus for IOSCO in 2026, with the regulator placing increased emphasis on education and scam prevention as retail participation expands across new asset classes and trading products.
IOSCO said it will launch its first TechSprint in partnership with the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s AI Lab. The initiative is intended to leverage technology to develop tools that assist retail participants understand the risks of emerging financial products and identify fraudulent activity.
The regulator also plans to explore novel investment products such as crypto-asset funds, , and retail-facing derivatives. IOSCO said these products may expand investor choice but could also introduce structural risks, particularly for less experienced participants.
Alongside product monitoring, IOSCO said it will continue engagement with platform providers such as social media firms, search engines, and internet providers, pushing for stronger restriction and monitoring of fraudulent content.
The regulator also highlighted the role of I-SCAN, its Enhanced Investor Alerts Portal, which provides a global real-time database of supervisory alerts covering unauthorised firms and known scams.
IOSCO said I-SCAN is intended to improve cross-border scam detection and reduce the effectiveness of fraudulent operators targeting retail investors through digital channels.
Takeaway
Private credit and audit sector links move higher on IOSCO agenda
IOSCO’s 2026 program also addresses the changing structure of global capital markets, as private markets expand while public issuance trends continue to fragileen.
The regulator noted that capital markets are facing declining public debt and equity issuance, alongside increasing trading fragmentation and rapid , creating new oversight challenges.
One of IOSCO’s key initiatives in this area will be to explore the growing interconnectedness between private equity activities and the audit sector, highlighting concern around how private market expansion may influence audit practices, standards, and risk exposure.
IOSCO will also contribute to the Financial Stability Board’s deep dive on private credit, a segment that has expanded rapidly in recent years and has become a key source of leverage and liquidity outside the traditional banking system.
In parallel, IOSCO said it will conduct research into the functioning of public markets, suggesting that market structure issues and the health of public equity ecosystems remain a regulatory concern.
The work program reflects a broader global trend of regulators viewking to understand systemic risk in private capital markets, which have historically operated with less transparency and fewer reporting requirements than public markets.
Takeaway
Crypto assessments and AI governance toolkits set to expand in 2026
Technological transformation is set to be one of IOSCO’s most prominent workstreams in 2026, as the regulator expands its focus on artificial intelligence, tokenization, and the convergence of digital assets with traditional finance.
IOSCO said it will advance its crypto-asset roadmap by finalizing a formal methodology for crypto and digital asset assessments. The regulator also plans to initiate regular thematic reviews and continue monitoring developments linked to financial technology adoption.
On artificial intelligence, IOSCO said it will develop a supervisory toolkit and guidance for firms on AI-related disclosures and governance expectations. This reflects rising regulatory concern over how AI systems influence decision-making, market stability, and consumer outcomes.
The work program also includes increased emphasis on Supervisory Technology (SupTech), following the creation of a dedicated collaborative forum for IOSCO members to share knowledge on how AI-powered tools can improve the efficiency of supervision and enforcement.
The regulator’s AI agenda suggests a shift toward practical supervisory frameworks, rather than high-level principle setting, as regulators globally attempt to keep pace with AI adoption across trading, compliance, and consumer-facing financial services.
IOSCO said these technological developments create significant opportunities but also introduce risks that require coordinated oversight.
Takeaway
IOSCO emphasizes global enforcement cooperation and emerging market support
Promoting regulatory cooperation remains a key strategic priority for IOSCO in 2026, with the regulator highlighting enforcement coordination and capacity building as essential to maintaining consistent global securities oversight.
IOSCO said it will continue to collaborate closely with international standard setters and organizations including the International Monetary Fund, OECD, World Bank, and the Financial Stability Board, aiming to align regulatory approaches and address emerging risks.
A core pillar of IOSCO’s cooperation agenda is the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding, described as the global gold standard for enforcement cooperation. IOSCO said the MMoU currently has 131 signatories.
IOSCO will continue supporting signatories, encouraging them to upgrade to the Enhanced MMoU and providing training and reviews to strengthen cross-border enforcement capabilities.
The regulator said it will also assist non-signatories in meeting adoption requirements, aiming to ensure the global enforcement securety net remains robust.
IOSCO’s 2026 work plan also includes expanded support for emerging markets through direct assistance, strengthened partnerships, and enhanced capacity-building initiatives designed to assist regulators build sound capital markets.
As part of its NEXTGEN program, IOSCO will develop a dedicated e-learning platform during 2026 to expand access to training and improve knowledge transfer across member jurisdictions.
