Introduction

In an era where regulations continue to evolve, compliance remains a critical concern for organizations across various sectors. This statistical roundup provides insights into the current landscape of compliance, including the challenges faced, the adoption of technology, and the impact of regulations. Here are 150 statistics that reflect the state of compliance in 2026.

Compliance Challenges

1. 35% of respondents cite interpreting and operationalizing complex regulatory requirements as their biggest challenge. (Black Duck)

2. 11% of organizations reported feeling prepared to meet emerging regulatory requirements. (Cybersecurity Insiders & Cyera)

3. 37% of Defense Industrial Base members are not scheduled for a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment or are unsure of their next steps. (Redspin)

4. 42% of U.S. financial services executives identified staying current with evolving regulations as their top compliance challenge. (Omega Systems)

5. 24% of organizations adopting AI identify regulatory compliance as an area where they are least prepared to address threats. (Acuvity AI)

6. 30% of contractors completed medium or high assessments that would validate their actual security posture. (CyberSheath)

Compliance Technology Adoption

7. 68% of organizations report better regulatory compliance as a benefit of Confidential Computing. (Confidential Computing Consortium)

8. 88% of organizations report improved data integrity as the primary benefit of Confidential Computing. (Confidential Computing Consortium)

9. 81% of organizations rate security as 'critical' or 'very important' when evaluating support technology. (Deskpro)

10. 92% of technology companies are adopting AI for support operations, compared to a 58% adoption rate in regulated industries. (Deskpro)

11. 60% of organizations have experienced data breaches or theft in software development, AI, and analytics environments, an 11% increase from the previous year. (Perforce Software)

12. 98% of security leaders reported using AI to manage security compliance in some capacity. (Dynatrace)

Compliance in Specific Industries

13. 50% of firms in the financial services industry are still operating on outdated or on-premise infrastructure, which fails to meet modern transparency and documentation requirements. (Omega Systems)

14. 64% of financial services organizations cite compliance requirements as important security drivers. (Deskpro)

15. 62% of healthcare IT and compliance leaders have observed staff experimenting with ChatGPT or similar tools even though they’re unsanctioned. (Paubox)

16. 78% of organizations express high concern about the theft or breach of model training data. (Perforce Software)

17. 91% of organizations believe that sensitive data should be allowed in AI training. (Perforce Software)

18. 91% of organizations say their cloud infrastructure provides the flexibility to adapt to new regulations. (Kyndryl)

Compliance Impact and Consequences

19. 92% of organizations reported experiencing legal, regulatory, or compliance consequences, including fines, lawsuits, or other enforcement actions. (Cohesity)

20. 95% of organizations surveyed reported measurable business impact due to misdirected email, including remediation costs, compliance violations, or damage to customer trust. (Abnormal AI)

21. 20% of financial services organizations have yet to secure the necessary budget to meet DORA requirements. (Veeam)

22. 40% of organizations call DORA a current "top digital resilience priority". (Veeam)

23. 24% of financial services organizations have not established recovery and continuity testing (a DORA requirement). (Veeam)

24. 41% of senior IT decision makers at financial services report increased stress and pressure on IT and security teams due to DORA. (Veeam)

Compliance Resources and Investments

25. 54% of organizations using at least four compliance controls remediate critical vulnerabilities within a day. (Black Duck)

26. 26% of Defense Industrial Base members reported spending between $100,000 and $250,000 on Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification preparation as of November 2025. (Redspin)

27. 54% of Defense Industrial Base members reported starting their Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification journey with a strong implementation of NIST 800-171 standards and DFARS controls. (Redspin)

28. 60% of Defense Industrial Base members reported an increase in training staff on cybersecurity since last year, up from 37%. (Redspin)

29. 12 working weeks per year are spent on compliance-related tasks, compared to 11 weeks the previous year. (Vanta)

30. 87% of security providers now offer compliance services. (Apptega)

Compliance in AI and Emerging Technologies

31. 76% of leaders rated compliance pressures around data sovereignty as extremely or moderately important. (Veeam)

32. 47% of Defense Industrial Base members have received flow-down requests from prime contractors regarding Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. (Redspin)

33. 66% of security services providers primarily use a GRC or compliance automation platform. (Apptega)

34. 39% of senior IT decision makers at financial services reported DORA remains a central focus. (Veeam)

35. 70% of financial services firms report that delays in scheduling pentests sometimes impact compliance or business timelines. (Cobalt)

36. 50% of firms identified data discovery as a top priority for improving audit readiness and control visibility. (Omega Systems)

Conclusion

Compliance impacts organizations across multiple dimensions, from operational efficiency to legal repercussions. Understanding the statistics and trends in compliance can help organizations better prepare for the challenges ahead. As regulations evolve, so too must the strategies to meet them effectively.