Enthusiasm about the opportunities presented by technological change is far stronger among US financial services leaders than their peers in other countries. But half of US bank executives name regulatory and compliance issues as a major challenge to their modernization efforts. And they cite the talent and skills gap as a greater obstacle than colleagues elsewhere do.
The findings come from a survey of 1,500 managers and executives in 11 countries conducted by financial services software company Finastra in November 2025. The countries surveyed were the US, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, UK, and Vietnam.
The research revealed 93% of US respondents were “excited” about the opportunities presented by rapid technological and cultural change. The global average was 86%. And four out of five US firms rate their modernization efforts as being ahead of their peers.
Some 65% of US firms are actively deploying AI, compared to 61% globally, and 42% of US institutions plan to increase their investment in AI by more than 50% in the coming year.
Summarizing the results, Finastra said that modernization is a priority area “driven by the need to scale AI, strengthen resilience, and deliver superior customer experience.” It found:
The study also revealed a projected 40% increase in security investment in response to mounting digital risk and regulatory scrutiny.
AI adoption was found to be accelerating across the board, with:
Customer experience is becoming “the front line” according to Finastra’s research, as the findings revealed 38% of respondents citing “improved service and more personalized experiences” as top customer demands. Just 4% of global institutions reported offering no personalized service to customers.
The full report is available in pdf format.