Top bankers set to score record payday with bonus hikes up to 30%: Year of the bank

Wall Street’s whales are set to earn the fattest bonus haul in history, with the hottest trading desks expected to rake in massive 20% to 30% spikes in performance-related pay, according to a new report.It’s not just the busiest desks that are poised to receive juicy paychecks.All the bonus-eligible employees at 15 major US and foreign banks will see bonus pools jump about 15% on average, according to a closely watched report released Tuesday by pay consultant Johnson Associates.New York’s total bonus pool hit a record $49.2 billion last year, according to Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who also expects it to climb even higher.Last year was good, “and this [year] is even better,” Alan Johnson, the firm’s managing director, told The Post.“The whales in the ocean, of course, are the big banks for New York financials, and they did extremely well,” he added.His firm dubbed 2026 the “year of the bank,” fueled by “record results in equity trading and underwriting.” Johnson called the industry “very healthy, maybe euphoric.”The biggest winners are stock traders and the bankers selling new shares, data compiled by Johnson Associates shows.

They are expected to see whopping hikes of 20% to 30%The survey also indicates that M&A advisers are in line for a 15% to 20% bonus boost; bank bosses, 10% to 20%; equities managers, 10% to 15%; and fixed-income traders, 7.5% to 12.5%.The firm tracks bonus changes by percentages, leaving the raw multibillion-dollar tallies to government bean counters.“If your business, the firm, is very successful, you’ll get paid really well,” Johnson said.

“And if the firm and the business you’re attached to doesn’t do well, you won’t.”He explained that many Wall Street titans are deciding to pay out bonuses to prevent top talent leaving for roles in private equity or the booming tech sector.“Critical or excellent people are worth more, and you don’t need as many of them,” Johnson said.“But averag...