2026 FinTech Predictions: Insights from Rishi Chohan of GFT

We spoke with Rishi, CEO U.S.A. at GFT, an AI-centric global digital transformation company with over 35 years of experience working with leading financial institutions. As the industry stands at the intersection of rapid technological advancement and shifting consumer expectations, Rishi shares his perspective on the critical moves financial institutions must make to remain competitive.

Over to you Rishi - my questions are in bold:

What's the biggest shift you expect across financial services in 2026?

There are two areas that will see a significant shift in 2026.

The first is, as you may have guessed, financial services' use of AI. Every financial institution knows they need to adapt, but many have not moved past the experimentation phase, not quite ready to commit to set usages or the cost of a full-scale AI implementation. While they do this, their competition has evolved, which means that banks, private equity firms and insurers can no longer stall.

In 2026, we will see many of these institutions take a leap of faith, transitioning from proof of concepts to full AI rollouts. Instead of only seeing the small scale productivity gains that come with single point solutions or limited use cases, institutions taking the leap into broader AI use cases in the new year will see the true value AI can create.

The other area is stablecoins and tokenisation. This year, the U.S. took a large step towards a future of digital currencies with the passing of the Genius Act. Now, with this regulated framework, in 2026, we can expect to see more U.S. financial institutions develop a strategy for leveraging stablecoins that not only complies with regulations but also serves their specific business needs. Banks with a large amount of resources, like JPMorgan and Citi, have been experimenting with stablecoin technology for a while. Now, these giants won't be the only ones able to utilise the technology. Gradually, this coming year, we will also see smaller, regional U.S. banks emerging from the stablecoin sidelines through consortiums. More banks will band together to create stablecoin projects that they do not have the resources to build alone.

Which emerging technology will have the most practical impact on banks and the FinTechs that support them?

Agentic AI will significantly advance software development for financial institutions. Developers are the scaffolding that holds up bank infrastructure. Modernisation can't occur without hours upon hours dedicated to coding and developing the foundation for new digital products and technologies. With AI integrated into these development lifecycles, teams can automate entire build processes, from documentation to code generation, with minimal human input, and dedicate more time to innovation.

Additionally, when it comes to stablecoins, we will see a significant impact on trading. Markets are constantly fluctuating and when money is on the line, the faster a trade can be processed, the better. Now that stablecoins are becoming a more viable option, we will see banks leverage them for real time processing of transactions, in a more secure, cost-efficient environment than before. This practice will result in a shift from conventional trading infrastructure to decentralised, DLT-based platforms, so that banks can move more quickly whilst ensuring money and data remain safe.

What customer behaviours or expectations will most challenge banks and financial service providers?

Outside of the financial realm, customers are using AI in their daily lives constantly. They turn to ChatGPT for answers, and use AI search to find the perfect products. This reliance on AI is quickly making its way into what consumers expect from financial institutions. Consumers want completely digital experiences, where all of their financial assets–from stock portfolios to savings accounts–are integrated on one holistic platform. They want apps that are easy to navigate and on-call AI agents to help with mortgages and investments.

This is just the beginning. What consumers want will inevitably shift as technology continues to evolve. And therein lies the challenge for financial institutions. Not only do they need to keep up with digital expectations, they also need to proactively release what consumers need before they even know they need it.

To be able to do this, financial institutions need to build smarter systems. If they want to compete, they will need to invest in modernisation and design flexible systems that can accommodate constant changes in the tech landscape.

What risks or blind spots do you think the industry is underestimating as we move into 2026?

The industry doesn't realise how quickly consumer preferences are changing. As a result, they're underestimating the speed at which they need to move.

This isn't just surrounding AI, it's applicable for all new technologies, from stablecoins to open banking. Consumers are inherently loyal to themselves. Even if they have been banking or investing with an institution for years, if a different one builds an ecosystem that will provide them all the capabilities they are looking for, they may jump ship to that competitor.

In order to compete in such a volatile market, financial institutions need to strike now. This means accelerated modernisation, flexible infrastructure, and the advancement of digital capabilities. While in the past, a wait and see approach may have been the safest, now it's imperative for institutions to take the leap. Just because a company may be thriving, doesn't mean it always will. Kodak brought cameras to the masses but came to its downfall due to its failure to change with the evolving market. By driving forward strategic investments in AI now, institutions will avoid a Kodak moment in the future.

If you were advising a bank's leadership team today, what strategic priority should they focus on to stay competitive in 2026 and beyond?

If you think you're listening to what customers are saying, think again. Listening to customers isn't an exercise in running formal surveys–it's paying attention to the way consumers at large are interacting with their digital worlds and the companies they most frequently engage with. Watch, listen and read between the lines. Consumers often don't ask for what they want directly–they simply gravitate towards it and gravitate away from what they don't want. Look at how they're using technology outside of your company to design capabilities you know they already rely on. And from there, build a muscle for inferring what they'll want in the future and build for that. The companies that are able to predict what consumers want and proactively deliver it will be the ones that lead the market forward. And the companies that don't will risk losing market share.

Thank you Rishi! You can connect with Rishi on his LinkedIn Profile and find out more about the company at https://www.gft.com/us/en/.