Report key takeaways

• Fintech is redefining financial services through advanced digital capabilities, new consumer demographics and the proliferation of Banking-as-a-Service;
• The sector is fuelled by technological advances, evolving regulation and changing customer preferences;
• The future of money is shaped by embedded finance, non-bank digital payments, cryptocurrencies and AI-powered payment innovation;
• Technologies such as Agentic AI, application programming interface (API), blockchain, quantum and robotic process automation (RPA) are spawning further innovation;
• The very notion of currency is changing, with regulators, legislators and traders sharpening their focus on cryptocurrencies;
• Cybersecurity and fraud dominate risk management, and a distributed, hybrid workforce needs secure tools to minimise risk;
• Other key challenges are scalability, profitability and investor uncertainty, alongside exposure to the global banking system particularly in the United States;
• Attracting and defining the best talent is mission critical. This multi-modal industry needs multi-modal talent; how skills-sets, competencies and behaviours fit together in high performing teams is increasingly complex in the evolving ecosystem;
• Demand is high for expertise in AI, blockchain, data analysis, cybersecurity, digital identity and quantum technologies;
• The geopolitical environment and need for flexible growth paths is sharpening the focus on private funding rather than IPOs, with in-house finance expertise highly-valued;
• The competitive global landscape is changing, with cities offering tech-finance synergy, strong tech ecosystems, innovation and digital payment capabilities competing with traditional global finance hubs, revealing new talent pools;
• Leaders need to balance innovation with compliance, security and risk management, particularly with cross-border collaboration and partnerships key growth drivers;
• This environment is challenging executive committees and boards to refine their strategic direction, aligning governance to opportunity and regulation. This requires astute analysis of board capabilities and the contribution of each board member.