Finance leaders are becoming less concerned about business risks, but the financial consequences tell a different story. According to Kyriba's CFO Risk Radar 2026, a large majority of CFOs experienced financial losses from risks over the past year despite reporting greater confidence in their preparedness. The report identifies a widening disconnect between perceived readiness and actual exposure, emphasizing the need for stronger financial visibility and risk management strategies.
Kyriba's CFO Risk Radar 2026 surveyed more than 1,300 CFOs and senior finance executives worldwide to understand how organizations are managing financial risk. The report found that although CFOs are expressing lower concern about major risks, financial exposure remains widespread.
According to the study, concern across 12 measured risk categories fell by an average of 13 percentage points compared to the previous year. At the same time, confidence in the economy and business outlook also weakened, with positive economic sentiment dropping to 70.8% and business optimism falling to 73.8%.
"Concern is falling but exposure isn't," said Todd Laddusaw, Chief Finance Officer at Kyriba. "That's the core finding of this year's Risk Radar, and it should change how CFOs think about readiness."
Kyriba describes the findings as the "Complacency Paradox," suggesting that organizations may have become accustomed to operating under constant uncertainty rather than becoming better protected against it.
"When concern and optimism fall together, that is not a sign that the world has become safer. It is a sign that CFOs have recalibrated their expectations downward - without necessarily upgrading the tools needed to manage it," said Monica Boydston, Chief Product Officer at Kyriba.
The report suggests that the normalization of ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges has reduced the perceived urgency of financial risks without reducing their actual business impact.
Despite lower overall concern, several key business risks continue to dominate CFO priorities.
Inflation and cost of living remain the leading global concern, with 76.4% of respondents identifying it as their top financial risk. AI disruption entered the rankings for the first time, with 52% expressing concern. Interestingly, more CFOs expect AI to create financial disruption than currently identify it as a major concern, indicating that exposure may already be outpacing awareness.
Regional findings also highlight political instability as the primary concern in both Spain and France, while tariffs remain a major issue for finance leaders operating in Mexico.
The study reveals a significant disconnect between perceived preparedness and actual outcomes.
While 47% of CFOs believe they are highly prepared to manage financial risks, 79% reported experiencing some level of financial impact during the previous year due to inadequate risk visibility.
Among those affected:
The report also found that only 39.3% of finance leaders expect substantial impact from risks they already recognize, suggesting that many organizations continue to underestimate their overall exposure.
The CFO Risk Radar 2026 is based on responses from 1,354 CFOs and senior finance leaders worldwide. The research examines financial risk perception, preparedness, business impact, and the effectiveness of risk management infrastructure across multiple countries.
The findings reinforce the growing importance of real-time financial visibility and proactive risk management as organizations continue to navigate economic uncertainty, geopolitical shifts, inflation, and emerging technologies such as AI. For finance leaders, reducing complacency may prove just as important as improving forecasting and liquidity management.
Kyriba is the global leader in liquidity performance, trusted to transform how CFOs, Treasurers and IT leaders connect, protect, forecast and optimize their liquidity amid economic complexity.
As a secure, transparent and scalable SaaS solution trusted by 4,000 customers across 170 countries, Kyriba delivers governed intelligence and financial automation through innovative technologies, including its trusted agentic AI (TAI), bringing precision, efficiency, and confidence to financial operations.
With an expansive ecosystem of banking, technology and consulting partners, Kyriba’s platform powers 3.6 billion bank transactions and $51 trillion in payments across 10,000 banks annually – helping companies gain enterprise-wide visibility, ensure financial stability, and outperform their business strategy.
