Financial stress is turning everyday money management into a trust test for banks. As consumers expect real help in tough moments, fragmented tools and reactive alerts are no longer enough—forcing banks to rethink financial wellness.

The travel co-brand card market is splitting fast. Premium products are pushing upmarket as rewards debit cards pull in younger users, while AI-driven discovery is eroding loyalty—forcing issuers to rethink relevance and clarity to capture spend in 2026.

Financial services ad spending will continue to grow in 2026, even as momentum cools from the 2024 high. Digital remains the center of gravity, intensifying competition and shaping how advertisers balance channels, formats, and budgets.

Trust in consumer banking varies widely in 2026. Primary banks still anchor core products. But confidence differs by generation, product, and channel, with honesty, transparency, and security shaping how consumers evaluate financial providers.

Digital account openings are rebounding as faster onboarding reshapes expectations, even as tighter credit and entrenched incumbents temper how quickly digital challengers expand.

Generational splits shape how consumers find, research, and trust banks. Younger adults move through digital channels with ease, while older adults rely on branches, human support, and established institutions.

In 2026, a new financial ecosystem will form around five trends—stablecoins, agentic AI, consolidation, financial media networks, and AI search—blurring boundaries between banking, technology, and commerce.

Thanks to open banking and real-time payments, pay by bank has become a promising card alternative, offering speed, low costs, and security. But US adoption remains limited. This report dives into what’s holding it back and what can boost growth.

Banks are gradually improving speed, control, and transparency in mobile banking—but as expectations rise, incremental updates won’t cut it. Our ninth annual study reveals where real-time innovation can still set new leaders apart.

Fintechs, big tech, and payment players are using genAI to redefine finance. To compete, banks must pair strategic genAI investment with hyper-personalization and human support to earn customer trust and loyalty.

The $106 trillion Great Wealth Transfer is creating new investors who bypass legacy advisors and favor digital tools and alternative assets. To stay competitive, banks must innovate—or risk ceding the future of wealth to nimbler fintechs and robo-advisors.

From AI agents changing customer expectations to banking licenses no longer differentiating financial institutions (FIs) from digital competitors, this report reveals the trends FIs must understand to maintain a competitive edge in H2 2025.

Our exclusive survey, conducted in partnership with MoEngage, reveals how financial services leaders are turning to data and AI to protect relevance, fuel engagement, and unlock growth.

Community banks and credit unions face rising delinquencies, margin pressure, and a disconnect with young consumers. As M&As accelerate, institutions must modernize tech and retain local trust to survive.

Our midyear report revisits the top trends we named in early 2025 to see what’s shaping the market, evolving fast, or fading in the rearview mirror.

As consumers turn to fintechs and payment providers for timely, solution-based support, banks are losing relevance. Staying in the game means shifting from product pushing to customer-led journeys.

Our fifth annual study ranks Canada’s top seven banks on mobile app innovation, based on an exclusive survey about what features consumers value most.

The Latin American consumer banking market is vast, yet over 40% of consumers are currently underbanked. Foreign banks looking to enter the market can tap this audience, but they should learn from and partner with local fintechs to do so.

Learn which mortgage lending market disruptors financial institutions should prepare for—and possibly leverage to attract more customers—in 2025.

Canada’s banking landscape is evolving, with digital account opening growth continuing to slow over the next four years. To capture what growth remains, banks must focus on delivering the most in-demand offerings.

When we asked US banking customers how they felt about their banks using AI to improve their banking experience, attitudes were mixed—and often sharply divided along demographic lines.

Reeling from 2024’s challenges, financial institutions must embrace bold strategies in 2025 to future-proof their businesses in a landscape plagued by economic, competitive, and regulatory pressures.

Our second annual study of US banking consumers reveals the key characteristics that make each generation’s customer journey unique. Banks can tailor their acquisition and retention strategies accordingly.

Our exclusive survey data reveals what’s shaping US banking consumers’ customer journeys today. Banks can use these five charts to identify opportunities to improve customer acquisition and retention.

Peru is Latin America’s fifth-largest retail ecommerce market by total sales volume. Although social unrest has stymied online sales growth over the past two years, the country has the potential to become a formidable multibillion-dollar ecommerce player in the region.