AI is rapidly reshaping technology priorities across capital markets, but its growing importance is also exposing a more fundamental challenge: firms cannot take full advantage of AI without the right data foundation in place. Datos Insights’ Key Trends in Data Management 2026 examines how capital markets firms are responding to this challenge, including where they are investing, the data management issues they continue to face, and how their technology and sourcing strategies are evolving. Based on a global survey of 300 senior technology and operations executives across asset managers, hedge funds, institutional broker-dealers, asset owners, and market infrastructure providers, the report offers a broad view of the state of enterprise data management across the industry.
Even as cybersecurity and AI adoption move to the top of the technology agenda, longstanding challenges around legacy systems, disconnected data, governance, and data integration remain. For technology, data, operations, and business leaders, the report provides a benchmark for comparing their priorities and investment plans with industry peers and identifying areas that may require greater attention. The findings can also help firms evaluate where to focus future investment and how to balance internal development, third-party technology, and outsourcing as they strengthen their data environments for AI and other business priorities.
Clients of Datos Insights’ Capital Markets practice may access this report.
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