Every year, our experts analyze the forces reshaping banking, insurance, and wealth management to identify where institutions are investing and why. The patterns that emerge reveal more than isolated trends. They show how competitive dynamics shift, which capabilities separate leaders from followers, and where the industry’s collective attention focuses when resources are finite and choices matter.
Three fundamental shifts are redefining competitive dynamics across all sectors of financial services.
Core system modernization timelines stretch years into the future while AI innovation cycles measure in months. Successful institutions extract immediate value through targeted pilots and workbench innovations rather than waiting for complete infrastructure replacement.
Artificial intelligence shifts from conversational assistance to autonomous decision-making. Financial institutions deploy AI agents that independently manage workflows across underwriting, claims, payments, and service operations—transforming theoretical potential into measurable business impact.
Institutions compete on experience delivery as much as product features. Hyperpersonalization, friction-right security, wellness services, and expanded advisory capabilities separate leaders from followers across banking, insurance, and wealth management.
Our comprehensive executive guide examines ten critical priorities reshaping financial services in 2026. Learn which trends represent fundamental shifts versus temporary disruptions, where leading institutions are placing their biggest bets, and how to evaluate strategic investments through proven frameworks.
Gain actionable guidance on balancing innovation with risk, making technology investment decisions, and developing the organizational capabilities required to maintain competitive advantage.
Gain in-depth insights into the transformative forces reshaping each practice area through our dedicated research, webinars, and analysis.
Banks face a dual mandate: maintaining business-as-usual operations while building future capabilities. Faster payments reach critical mass as account validation gaps and cash management investments demand strategic attention.
Hyperpersonalization reshapes customer engagement while subscription management and wellness services become essential. Real-time payments and adaptive credentials create competitive advantages in an evolving digital landscape.
Technology and talent pressures redefine service boundaries. Workflow automation unlocks advisor productivity while platform capabilities, guaranteed income products, and expanded advisory services reshape competitive positioning.
The AI arms race intensifies as institutions navigate the defensive reality dilemma. Success requires orchestrating multilayered defenses while modernizing operations through strategic automation and upskilling.
AI transitions from assistant to autonomous decision-maker while carriers extract value from unstructured content. Workbench transformation and pragmatic implementation deliver results despite multi-year modernization timelines.
Agentic AI shifts from assistance to autonomy across underwriting and claims operations. Carriers reimagine workbenches and embrace composable architecture while unstructured data drives actionable intelligence.
Board and CISO liability reaches critical outcomes as adversarial AI challenges enterprise defenses. Quantum resilience becomes urgent while workforce passkeys and robust API security drive investment priorities.
Work with our team to translate these industry-wide priorities into actionable strategies for your specific context, competitive position, and organizational capabilities.