Architecting Banking for 2026

In January 2026, Capgemini published its Top Trends in Banking report. Banking Frontiers presents the highlights:

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The Capgemini 2026 Banking Trends report covers 3 interconnected imperatives: (i) Customer Engagement (ii) Operational Efficiency and (iii) Technological Innovation. It focuses on retail, wealth and payments.

CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

The report finds that more than 60% of retail banking customers now do all their banking digitally. This shift is pushing banks to rethink how they engage customers by using AI, smarter digital tools, and more interactive experiences. A similar share of high-net-worth clients expect digital-first and personalized services, which is changing how wealth firms attract and retain clients. An equal percentage of merchants also expect payment providers to deliver smooth, secure, and connected checkout experiences for shoppers.

Trend 1: Personalization as a Growth Driver

Personalization is increasingly seen as a growth driver. Capgemini found that 38% of customers were dissatisfied with service quality and switched to another financial services provider in 2024. In addition, 73% of card customers are motivated by personalized offers and rewards, and 75% of banks plan to adopt AI agents to improve customer service over the next 2-3 years.

Capgemini recommends that financial services firms adopt AI-driven loyalty programs that personalize rewards across cards and investments. These differentiated incentives can support sustainable revenue growth. It also recommends using agentic AI in contact centers to automate routine queries and support advisors, improving customer experience and productivity.

Trend 2: Engaging the Under-40 Customer