What FinTech Experts See for 2026 as Shared with Bank Business News Network
Keith Riddle, General Manager, Payfinia Inc. and Payfinia CUSO, shared, “Community banks will focus on leveraging
B2B embedded finance to compete with vertical SaaS. Their core payment rails
will be offered via APIs to non-financial software used by local businesses
(e.g., accounting, property management). This allows them to become the
invisible balance sheet behind services like automated invoicing (including
instant payment collection), working capital advances, and virtual cards for
expense management. The winning strategy is to monetize business data through
seamless, high-value, non-traditional services.”
Marcell King, President
and COO, Nuuvia, shared, “In
2026, banks that shift from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide AI strategies
will pull ahead, moving from R&D and experimentation to deliver
highly-personalized, real-time financial experiences. As shown by a recent
industry survey, nearly 50% of financial institutions are already using or
developing generative/agentic AI systems. Banks scaling AI across channels can
move from one-off features to continuous, predictive engagement, and paired
with the acceleration of new deposit acquisition strategies and product
development in youth banking, banks will be equipped to deliver bespoke
generational experiences, proactive financial advice, frictionless onboarding,
and context-aware offers at scale. 2026 will be the year many institutions turn
personalization and youth banking into a strategic growth engine.”
Mitch Rosenbaum, SVP –
Innovation, Tyfone, shared, “Banks
and fintechs will begin deploying a truly intelligent financial wellness layer
powered by conversational AI, micro-agents, and behavior-based guidance.
Instead of static budgeting tools or backward-looking dashboards, institutions
will offer continuous, proactive advice tailored to each customer’s financial
journey. The evolution requires a unified intelligence layer that understands
income flows, obligations, behavior patterns, upcoming life events, and
real-time transaction context, then proactively recommends the next right
action. With components like LLM-powered micro-agents, vector personalization,
converged data layers, and conversational interfaces already in place, the
industry is positioned to make intelligent wellness achievable in 2026. This is
the future of digital banking, and it is the foundation for Intelligent
Lifecycle Banking. The technology is here; the question is whether institutions
can adapt quickly enough.”
Bikram Saha, Banking and
Financial Services, Tavant, shared,
“By 2026, banking will shift decisively toward human-centric experiences,
fueled by breakthroughs in AI throughout 2025. Hyper-personalized financial
guidance, empathetic digital assistants, and adaptive risk models will redefine
customer relationships. Stablecoins will gain mainstream momentum as regulated
institutions integrate them into payments, treasury, and cross-border
settlements, driving faster, cheaper, and programmable money flows. With
cyber-attacks growing in sophistication, cyber-security will take center stage,
prompting banks to adopt zero-trust architectures, continuous threat
intelligence, and AI-driven fraud prevention. Meanwhile, massive workload
migration to the cloud will accelerate operational agility, enabling rapid
innovation and scalable compliance. Collectively, these forces will create a
banking ecosystem that is more resilient, intuitive, and deeply aligned with
customer needs.”
Richard Guillot,
President and CEO, BAFS, shared,
“Community banks may see commercial lending strengthen in 2026 as credit
conditions steadily improve. Commercial Real Estate (CRE) activity is expected
to benefit from easing standards, though institutions must prepare for the $1.5
trillion in maturing loans coming due through 2026. Commercial & Industrial
(C&I) lending should also gain momentum as businesses regain confidence in
longer-term investments, even amid heightened competition from private credit
providers. Anticipated modest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve could reduce
borrowing costs and support broader loan demand, creating opportunities for
banks that strategically adjust terms. Although performance will vary by sector
and property type, well-capitalized borrowers with strong assets are likely to
drive the strongest activity across commercial portfolios.”
Mitch Rutledge, CEO and
Co-Founder, Vertice AI, shared,
“Community banks will begin to shift their mindset from regarding generative AI
as a risk to a practical tool that can meaningfully enhance efficiency and
support growth in 2026. Banks will no longer be able to rely on a “head in the
sand” approach as regulatory expectations continue to evolve. Instead, they
will establish formal AI policies, adopt structured governance frameworks, and
lean on solutions designed with compliance and guardrails built in. This more
confident, informed strategy will enable community banks to explore targeted AI
use cases that improve operations, streamline workflows, and create measurable
value without compromising safety or oversight.”
Lisa Pent, CEO and
Founder, Pentedge, shared, “2026 is the year community banks
stop fearing AI and start using it to win.
The pressure to improve efficiency, accuracy, and customer experience
will push banks to adopt practical, compliance-ready AI as core infrastructure.
Banks that succeed won’t chase flashy tools; they’ll embrace AI With
Guardrails: documented models, transparent workflows, and automation that
actually passes an exam. Expect a shift toward open ecosystems, API-friendly
partners, and modular modernization that makes legacy cores work smarter. The
banks that thrive in 2026 will be those bold enough to modernize safely and
PentEdge will be the Sherpa guiding them.”
Jason Schwabline, EVP of
Revenue and Growth, CheckAlt, shared,
“Community banks are entering 2026 under intensifying pressure to boost
efficiency and protect business relationships from fintech competitors and
larger institutions. Fragmented receivables processes—traditional lockbox here,
RDC over there, online banking bill payments in another system—make it
difficult to support commercial clients that expect faster posting, fewer
exceptions, and clearer cash-flow visibility. Rising fraud adds additional
strain. The opportunity ahead is simplifying how banks and their clients
receive and manage checks, ACH, cards, and online banking bill payments through
a single, secure portal that streamlines workflows for treasury and back-office
teams. Banks that consolidate these processes will reduce manual effort, lower
operational risk, and deliver a modern receivables experience that retains
high-value business clients. Efficiency, simplicity, and smarter treasury
operations will define the competitive edge.”
Philip Paul, CEO,
Cotribute, shared, “To
compete in 2026, community banks must be able to roll out new products rapidly,
without requiring a complete system overhaul. The answer to this challenge is
not a complete rip-and-replace of existing technology, but rather adding
composable, AI-powered growth engines to extend and enhance existing tech
stacks. This type of platform automates and personalizes the customer journey,
from acquisition to cross-selling, without needing a full overhaul of existing
technology. Adding a composable growth engine on top of an institution’s
existing infrastructure enables banks to rapidly launch new accounts, new loan
products, and enhance the onboarding experience without requiring a significant
investment of time and IT resources.”
Ed Vincent, CEO, Lumio Solutions,
shared,
“In 2026, winning banks will engage clients with precision, combining local
relationships with risk-informed, AI-powered intelligence. A robust data
strategy is foundational to unlocking this AI-powered intelligence, and begins
with establishing a complete, accurate and organized data set. Anything short
of this, risks steering a bank off course. On the other hand, agentic models
built on top of this foundation will enable banks to approach precisely the
right client, with the right product, at the right time. Banks would be
well-advised to prioritize and invest in data management in 2026.”
Daniel Ahn, CEO and Co-Founder, Delfi, shared,
“As larger institutions continue to scale through consolidation in the coming
year, community banks must increasingly embrace new technologies, especially
AI, to stay competitive and protect their margins. To thrive, the focus will
need to be on solutions that enhance decision-making, strengthen risk
management, and streamline operations. Those banks that adopt and innovate the
quickest will set themselves apart as industry leaders and ultimately win in
2026.”
Samy Kogan, VP of Product
Management, SWIVEL, shared, “In the
coming year, banks must prioritize vendor consolidation and instant payment
adoption, streamlining operations while enabling faster, smarter money
movement. Institutions can set themselves apart in 2026 by working with their
trusted fintech partners to balance innovation with operational stability,
overcoming key pain points like legacy infrastructure, and investing in
automation, API-driven integration and embedded finance to lead the industry
and their competitors.”
Mary Grace Roske, Head of
Marketing and Communications, CD Valet, shared,
“The days of easy deposit growth are long gone, and
competition is only intensifying as customers are increasingly willing to shop
for the best rates and digital experiences. Community banks, despite offering
some of the most competitive CD terms and yields, continue to lose ground to
national brands with massive advertising budgets. This is a significant
challenge, as CDs currently represent 15% of bank deposits. However, the coming
year will mark a shift: more community bankers will spotlight their strong
offers through seamless digital account opening, participation in unbiased digital
marketplaces and AI-driven search optimization. Those who embrace these
strategies won’t just defend their turf – they will position themselves to
capture deposits in a market where visibility, speed and digital sophistication
define the winners.”
Mac Thompson, CEO and
Founder, White Clay, shared, “To thrive in the coming year, banks will
need to focus more on human-centered digital strategies, pairing the right
technology with humanity. By using data-driven analytics to better understand
their customers, they can create more relevant, personalized experiences,
strengthening both their deposit relationships and positions as primary
institutions. This will help protect their margins and optimize profitability
in what is likely to be a rising competitive landscape with accelerating
M&A and an unpredictable rate environment as we head into 2026.”
Luksa Haffer, Co-Founder
and CEO, Casca, shared, “2026 will
be the year the industry acknowledges that small business lending doesn’t just
need to be faster – it needs to be fundamentally rebuilt. Small- and mid-sized
businesses drive nearly half of U.S. GDP, yet many still face a painful
tradeoff: wait months for affordable bank funding or turn to high-cost lenders
simply because speed is the only thing they can count on. That gap isn’t about
demand; it’s about outdated infrastructure that was never designed for today’s
volume, complexity, or expectations. The next leap forward will come from
responsible, explainable AI that makes credit decisions more consistent,
transparent, and equitable. Banks that modernize their lending foundations –
instead of adding patches to legacy systems – will finally be able to serve
businesses at the pace the economy requires.”
Emiliano Giacchetti, CEO,
ParaScript, shared, “In 2026, banks
will navigate a new era of check fraud in which fewer checks are being written,
but the value of each item continues to rise as fraud schemes grow more
sophisticated. Traditional tools are no longer equipped to handle this shift, pushing
banks to adopt layered AI-powered solutions that protect high-value
transactions before losses occur. We expect to see wider adoption of AI and
machine learning systems that use signature verification, check stock analysis
and anomaly detection to authenticate items at multiple points in the process
while reducing false positives. These capabilities help banks identify forged
or altered checks earlier and more accurately. As check fraud techniques
escalate, banks will rely on highly scalable, accurate and affordable
AI-powered software to operate securely and efficiently.”
Jennifer Dimenna, VP Product Management, CSI, shared, “As 2026 nears, community banks face intensifying pressure from larger institutions eager to monetize data access and disrupt their defining open connectivity. To stay competitive, banks need fintechs to help them build flexible, secure, and transparent ecosystems that empower both consumers and small businesses. The winners will invest in modern SMB banking capabilities, prioritize interoperability as a baseline, and strengthen community trust as their most valuable currency. By embracing innovation and fintech collaboration, community banks can resist industry shifts, deepen community relationships and position themselves for long-term relevance and success.”
Matt Potere, CEO, Happy
Money, shared, “American
household debt has hit record highs, with rising costs forcing families to cut
back and rely heavily on credit cards. Americans now carry over $1.23 trillion
in credit card debt, creating both a financial and emotional strain.
Looking ahead, community banks have a notable
opportunity to offer meaningful solutions. Personal loans are gaining traction
as a strategic tool to convert high-interest balances into predictable monthly
payments – with APRs averaging 7.5% lower than credit cards. For customers,
that means real relief, renewed confidence and greater peace of mind. For
banks, it represents balance sheet diversification and responsible growth. As
debt consolidation becomes a defining priority, personal loans will empower
customers to consolidate and pay off debt while positioning banks for
sustainable, scalable growth.”
Michael Nicastro, CEO and principal, Coppermine Advisors, shared, “2026 will bring challenges and opportunities to
financial services providers in three key areas. First, the investment
landscape has shifted: capital is tighter, investors are more selective, and
FinTech’s must prove profitability through disciplined, diversified growth.
Second, integration remains imperative. Core systems that fail to connect
seamlessly with digital platforms risk falling behind, while those embracing
open standards and collaboration can unlock efficiency and innovation. Finally,
digital services must expand beyond basic banking. Millennials and Gen Z expect
intuitive insurance, wealth tools, (including trading) guidance and the impact
of Stable Coin, within seamless mobile experiences. Institutions that partner
to deliver these offerings will deepen relationships and capture new revenue.
Success in 2026 will hinge on moving from hype to execution, balancing
sustainability with innovation.”
Jon Tvrdik, CEO, WaveCX, shared,
“2025 marked a turning point in banking technology, with institutions moving
from adding features to creating experiences that guide customers through
complex decisions in real time. No longer in its experimentation phase, AI is
now applied practically to reduce friction and provide actionable guidance
while empowering employees to support customers more effectively. In 2026,
priorities will include connecting systems intelligently, streamlining
workflows and designing interfaces that guide customers without extra effort.
The banks that succeed will turn technology investments into measurable
outcomes, delivering higher satisfaction, stronger relationships and greater
confidence while helping members navigate increasingly complex financial
products and build lasting trust.”
Todd Michaud, President and CEO, HuLoop Automation, shared, “AI adoption in banking will continue to grow, and courageous banking leaders understand that success is not optional. They know that the real value comes only when employees use the technology. In 2026, bankers will demand AI solutions that fit naturally into day-to-day operations, integrate with existing controls, and give staff the ability to guide and intervene in automated workflows. The responsibility now sits with leadership to ensure adoption, champion change, and make AI part of how work gets done. The partners who will win are those who deliver technology that employees trust, enjoy using, and rely on to do their jobs better.
Gareth Gaston, Chief Product
Officer, Candescent, shared, “Next year
will be shaped by the next frontier: Intelligent Banking. Intelligent banking
is about using intelligence data, context, and human judgment to make banking
feel intentional, anticipatory, and trustworthy. When intelligence is embedded
correctly, customers experience clarity, confidence, and relevance in moments
that matter. AI will be a catalyst, but the most impactful AI won’t show up in
chatbots, pop-ups or novelty tools. It will be invisible, built into the fabric
of the experience, and showing up as succinct, contextual insights;
conversational experiences that surface answers and complete actions in one
place; and agentic capabilities that work continuously on customers’ behalf.
The institutions preparing for that shift now grounding in human
accountability, intelligence and trust will be positioned to lead what’s next.”