Cyber fraud has officially replaced ransomware as the #1 concern for CEOs in 2026, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, developed in collaboration with Accenture.

While CISOs remain laser-focused on ransomware and operational resilience, CEOs are now prioritizing the financial and reputational damage caused by modern, increasingly sophisticated forms of cyber-enabled fraud.

And the numbers tell the story:

• 73% of CEOs were either personally affected or knew a business leader impacted by cyber fraud in 2025
• 77% of organizations say cyber fraud has increased over the past year
• Ransomware? Still rising — but no longer in the top 3 CEO concerns

So, what changed? Let’s dive in