5 forces reshaping financial services in 2026

Every year, I pull out my metaphorical crystal ball to predict where the financial-services industry is heading. It’s never easy, change is relentless, disruption is constant, and the future rarely plays out as neatly as we’d like. Yet, after months of research, conversations with industry leaders, and analysis of the latest reports, certain themes are clear.

In 2026, financial-services firms face a defining moment. Economic headwinds, new regulation, and accelerating technological change are converging. For banks, insurers, wealth managers and capital-markets players alike, the priority is no longer if transformation is needed, but how fast and how well it can be executed.

Below are the key trends shaping the year ahead, and what they mean for the industry’s leaders.

Banking & Capital Markets: Fee income, AI acceleration and embedded finance

Interest income is stabilising, but growth in 2026 will come from new sources. According to Deloitte’s ...