Catenaa, Saturday, February 14, 2026-New research from Finastra shows the financial services sector has reached a decisive AI tipping point, with just 2% of institutions reporting no use of artificial intelligence.
The findings indicate a shift from experimentation to full-scale execution across global banks and financial firms.
The State of the Nation 2026 report surveyed 1,509 senior professionals across 11 regions, covering institutions managing over $100 trillion in assets.
Results show six in 10 organizations improved AI capabilities over the past year, with top use cases including risk management and fraud detection (71%), data analysis and reporting (71%), customer service assistants (69%), and document intelligence management (69%).
Customer experience is now a critical focus, with 38% of institutions citing personalized service as their customers’ top demand. Only 4% of organizations globally report offering no personalized services.
The study also highlighted modernization priorities, with 87% planning to invest in technology upgrades over the next 12 months to scale AI, improve resilience, and enhance customer experience. Partnerships with fintech providers remain common, favored by 54% of respondents.
Security investment is projected to rise sharply, with firms expecting an average 40% increase in 2026 amid tighter regulations and deeper reliance on digital infrastructure.
Cloud adoption is also gaining traction, supporting scalability, personalization, and compliance initiatives.
Finastra CEO Chris Walters said institutions are moving decisively from experimentation to execution, balancing rapid AI deployment with regulatory compliance and customer trust.
