Featured In Intelligent CISO: The Growing Role of Threat Intelligence in Modern Cybersecurity
December 17, 2025
I recently contributed to an industry roundtable published by FStech, examining what financial services technology may look like in 2026. While contributors approached the topic from different angles, a clear conclusion emerged:
Financial services are no longer simply enabled by technology — they are becoming technology-centric enterprises.
As artificial intelligence, automation, cloud platforms, and digital assets mature, financial institutions are entering a new phase of transformation. In this environment, the organizations that succeed will not be those that innovate the fastest, but those that innovate securely, resiliently, and with strong governance.
AI Moves from Efficiency to Decision-Making
By 2026, AI will be deeply embedded across financial services operations. Beyond process automation, AI will influence credit decisions, fraud detection, customer interactions, and real-time risk assessments. This shift creates significant opportunity—but also introduces new challenges.
Model risk management, data integrity, explainability, and regulatory oversight will become central concerns. Financial institutions must ensure AI systems are transparent, auditable, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Security teams and risk leaders will need a seat at the table early, not after deployment.
Cybersecurity Becomes a Business Continuity Issue
Cybersecurity in 2026 will be less about perimeter defense and more about resilience. As threat actors increasingly leverage AI, attacks will become faster, more adaptive, and harder to detect. Traditional controls alone will not be enough.
Organizations will need to prioritize intelligence-driven security, continuous monitoring, and regularly tested incident response and recovery plans. Cyber resilience will be measured not just by prevention, but by how quickly and effectively an organization can respond, recover, and continue operating.
Third-Party and Supply Chain Risk Takes Center Stage
Financial institutions are more interconnected than ever—relying on fintech providers, cloud platforms, managed services, and AI vendors to deliver critical capabilities. This expanding ecosystem significantly increases exposure to third-party risk.
In 2026, third-party and supply chain risk will be one of the most significant threat vectors. Point-in-time vendor assessments will no longer be sufficient. Continuous risk monitoring, contractual accountability, and transparency across the vendor ecosystem will be essential to maintaining trust and operational stability.
Digital Assets and Tokenization Move Closer to the Mainstream
Digital assets, including tokenized settlements and stablecoins, are expected to see broader institutional adoption as regulatory frameworks mature. While innovation in this space is accelerating, it also brings complex operational, compliance, and cybersecurity considerations.
Institutions that succeed will approach digital assets with the same rigor applied to traditional financial infrastructure—embedding security, governance, and risk management from the outset rather than treating them as experimental add-ons.
Why This Matters for Financial Leaders
The financial services industry has always been built on trust. In 2026, that trust will depend on an organization’s ability to demonstrate secure design, strong governance, and operational resilience in the face of constant technological change.
Innovation without security erodes confidence. Security without business alignment slows progress. The challenge—and opportunity—lies in balancing both.
At LaTulip Consulting, we work with financial institutions and technology-driven organizations to help security, risk, and governance evolve alongside innovation. The goal is simple: enable progress while protecting trust.
📖 Read the full FStech article:
https://www.fstech.co.uk/fst/Whats_Next_For_Financial_Services_Technology_In_2026.php
