The six largest U.S. banks returned a record amount of capital to shareholders in 2025, led by JPMorgan Chase & Co. The group paid out over $140 billion through dividends and stock buybacks. This total surpasses the previous record set in 2019.
JPMorgan specifically repurchased more than $30 billion of its own stock. This figure marks a high for Wall Street banks and exceeds the amount bought back two years earlier by more than three times.
Major banks increased capital returns due to surging profits and a more relaxed regulatory environment concerning capital rules. These conditions gave executives the confidence to ramp up shareholder distributions.