Banking and financial services: 6 trends for 2026

2026 is shaping up to be a crucial year for the banking and financial services sector. The challenges range from increasing margin pressure and cyber risks to the company-wide introduction of AI. In addition, there is improved data quality, regulatory acceleration and increasing demand for real-time data, as well as personalized and trustworthy services. Nando Freyberg from Dun & Bradstreet names six trends that will be important for the industry.

1. pressure on margins and the search for new sources of income

Persistently low interest rates and economic volatility are squeezing net interest margins and forcing banks to diversify. Fee-based services such as payments, wealth management and advisory are gaining traction, while platform banking and embedded finance are opening up new avenues for growth. The winners will be those that use advanced analytics and clean, structured data to identify opportunities, segment customers and support strategic diversification.

2. cyber and resilience risks: Building robust defense mechanisms

With new regulations such as DORA in the EU and stricter rules in the UK, there is an increased focus on digital resilience and managing third-party risk. According to our survey, 91 percent of financial services and insurance executives cite cyber and fraud as their biggest threats, and most have suffered negative impacts from third-party risks. Banks need to integrate real-time risk information and vendor assessments tailored to regional nuances - such as Germany's focus on real estate risk and IT security - to ensure operational continuity and regulatory compliance.

3. large-scale AI: from pilot project to transformation of the entire company

AI is at a turning point. 2026 marks the transition from isolated pilot projects to company-wide transformation. Banks are increasingly using AI agents for predictive analytics, risk management and customer service automation. However, 64 percent of companies lack decision data, and over half have seen AI projects fail due to poor data quality. This highlights that without a solid data foundation, even the best AI and most ambitious transformation efforts will fail. Success depends on a trustworthy data foundation: traceable data provenance and policy controls to ensure explainability and regulatory compliance.

4 Data quality and open finance: the new competitive advantages

Data is the foundation for transformation. Banks are investing in modern data platforms, but fundamental problems persist: over half (55 percent) distrust their internal data sets, and many struggle with silos and duplicates (52 percent). New open finance regulations - such as the European Commission's Financial Data Access Regulation (FiDA), which comes into force in 2026, and the UK Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) - will allow clients to share data, enabling tailored offers and cross-selling opportunities. Clean, interoperable data is crucial to avoid model drift - situations where decisions become less accurate over time due to outdated data and misclassification affecting AI-powered personalization.

5 Accelerated regulation and compliance as a strategy

The pace of regulatory change is accelerating: new operational resilience requirements came into force in 2025 and remain a key focus for banks. In addition, stricter standards for AI governance apply and the regulation of instant payments is progressing. Institutions will be expected to demonstrate ongoing compliance as these frameworks evolve. Compliance is becoming a strategic advantage as automated real-time monitoring and reporting is integrated into technology and operating models. Banks using compliance dashboards and regulatory risk analytics are better able to anticipate and respond to change.

6. customer expectations: Real-time, personalized and trustworthy response

Customer loyalty is being transformed by three forces: the shift to mobile channels, the rise of fintech innovators and growing expectations of transparency. Together, these trends are driving demand for instant payments, seamless digital experiences and personalized services. To keep pace, banks must prioritize omnichannel engagement and data-driven personalization. However, customer retention challenges and slow, manual onboarding show that there is a need for instant verification and trusted identity data. Both accelerate transactions and increase customer trust. Meeting these requirements depends on high-quality data and implementing compliance through live dashboards, real-time data checks and transparent identity profiles. This enables banks to transform compliance from a constraint to a source of trust.

Source: Dun & Bradstreet