Geopolitics Shapes Security Budgets in Financial Services

RUSI's William Dixon on How Trade Wars Lead to Inflation and Cyber Risks Mathew J. Schwartz (euroinfosec) • September 16, 2025

Geopolitical instability has reshaped the cybersecurity priorities of financial services. Trade wars have strained global markets, while rising interest rates have restricted investment. Security teams that once expected stronger capital flows are now facing slower growth and receiving fewer resources.

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Boards see security as a financial burden rather than a growth driver. "Cybersecurity, as much as we love to think of it as an enabler of business, is, of course, a cost center. Cyber leaders have been expected to do more for less," said William Dixon, senior associate fellow for cyber and international security at the Royal United Services Institute.

These economic pressures are compounded by reduced global cooperation on cyberthreats. "Geopolitical fractures in particular means, from an international ...