DNB Resilience Programme for Geopolitical Risks
Summary
De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) has launched a resilience programme to identify and strategize against geopolitical risks impacting the financial sector and its own operations. The programme assesses various scenarios, including cyber threats and operational disruptions, and aims to enhance organizational agility and efficiency.
What changed
De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) has initiated a resilience programme, announced on February 24, 2026, to proactively address geopolitical risks affecting the financial sector and its core supervisory tasks. The programme involves studying scenarios such as cyber attacks, supply chain disruptions, power outages, and warfare to assess their impact on the economy, financial institutions, and DNB itself. Key challenges identified include the sector's digital dependence on non-European IT providers, increasing operational and financial risks, and pressure on international consultation structures.
Financial institutions are expected to take responsibility for their own resilience in the face of these evolving geopolitical realities. DNB is also implementing its DNB2030 change programme, targeting a 10% budget reduction and a more results-oriented approach to supervision. While no specific compliance deadline is mentioned for financial institutions, the announcement implies a need for them to review and enhance their preparedness strategies in line with DNB's identified risks and expectations.
What to do next
- Review current geopolitical risk assessments and strategies.
- Evaluate digital dependencies on non-European IT providers.
- Enhance operational resilience plans to address potential disruptions.
Source document (simplified)
DNB strengthens resilience to geopolitical risks
Press release Read aloud De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) is taking additional measures to prepare for potential consequences of geopolitical tensions. In 2025, a resilience programme was launched to identify the main geopolitical risks and decide on the appropriate strategy going forward. This was announced today by Chair of Supervision Steven Maijoor at DNB's annual supervision press conference.
Published: 24 February 2026
© DNB
DNB has frequently highlighted geopolitical risks and the need for financial institutions to deal with them. The geopolitical dynamics influencing the financial sector also have an impact on DNB. Therefore, a resilience programme was implemented to improve preparedness for incidents and escalations that could affect the performance of its core tasks, including supervision.
Various scenarios
Various scenarios were studied, ranging from hybrid threats such as cyber attacks and the disruption of logistics chains, to operational disruptions such as 72-hour power outages and economic and physical warfare. For each scenario, the impact on the economy, financial institutions and DNB’s own organisation was assessed.
Several challenges in the supervision domain were identified, such as the sector’s significant digital dependence on non-European IT providers, a concern DNB has raised repeatedly before. In addition, the sector is facing an increase in operational and financial risks, which could result in service disruptions and mounting credit risks. Finally, international consultation structures are under increasing pressure, potentially resulting in regulatory fragmentation and thus less effective supervision on a global scale. To address these issues, DNB is taking additional measures in supervision working in tandem with other (European) supervisory authorities.
"Geopolitical realities are changing rapidly. This affects the financial sector as well as our own organisation. We need to be prepared for unexpected escalations and be able to continue performing our core tasks even in extreme scenarios. As a supervisory authority, we expect financial institutions to take responsibility in this area as well." – Steven Maijoor, Chair of Supervision.
Change programme
In response to the current geopolitical environment, maintaining flexibility as a supervisory authority is essential. This is why DNB launched its DNB2030 change programme to enhance organisational agility and efficiency, while targeting a structural budget reduction of 10%. With respect to supervision, DNB’s priorities include a more results-oriented approach, promoting a secure and innovative financial sector, and improving the effectiveness of its interactions with the sector.
Media representatives can contact Dorinde Meuzelaar by email at d.c.meuzelaar@dnb.nl or by telephone at +31 6 51 96 30 73.
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