Retail banking faces a reckoning in 2026 as AI investment accelerates, but customer experience, loyalty, and brand differentiation continue to erode. Efficiency-led AI strategies are failing to deliver meaningful relationship gains, while third-party AI assistants and AI-native banks raise expectations for proactive support and tailored advice. This report examines four trends reshaping retail banking and explains how banks can move beyond automation theater to use AI to improve trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.

Customer expectations are rising fast, but most digital experiences aren’t keeping up. It’s no longer enough to be functional; today’s digital products must be emotionally engaging, continuously evolving, and clearly tied to business outcomes. Yet only 41% of design leaders consistently measure design’s impact, and many organizations still rely on outdated processes that stifle innovation. Join this peer discussion to explore how digital business and CX leaders are modernizing their design practices in the age of AI to deliver differentiated experiences that drive loyalty, growth, and competitive advantage. This conversation will be hosted by Senem Guler Biyikli and Alyson Clarke and will include open discussion with participants, so please bring your questions and experiences to share with the group. Questions for discussion:How are you adapting your design process to meet today’s elevated customer expectations? Continuous improvement vs. breakthrough innovation — how do you balance both?  How do you measure and demonstrate the impact of better design? How are you leveraging emerging technologies (e.g., genAI, agentic AI, computer vision, digital twins) in your design work?What does a “future-fit” digital design culture look like in your organization? Peer discussions are available exclusively to Forrester Decisions VIP Leader and Leader license holders for their own participation.

Checking accounts are one of the top-selling financial products in the US. But more importantly, checking accounts are central to a customer’s relationship with their primary bank. To help digital teams win the checking account relationship, we surveyed US online adults to find out how they research and buy checking accounts. Although digital platforms play a significant role, physical branches continue to be influential. Improving the digital experience throughout the customer’s research and purchasing journey is essential for digital banking executives who want customers to open a checking account online.

Savings accounts provide an important opportunity for banks and credit unions to cultivate meaningful relationships with their customers as they work toward their life’s biggest goals. To help digital teams secure the savings account relationship and win deposits, Forrester surveyed US online adults to find out how they research and buy savings accounts. Although digital platforms play a significant role, physical branches continue to be influential. Improving the digital experience throughout the customer’s research and purchasing journey is essential for digital banking executives who want to attract more online account openings.

Forrester’s new Total Experience Score, Brand Experience Index (BX Index™), and Customer Experience Index (CX Index™) for seven multichannel banks reveal that their brand promises aren’t resonating and their CX continues to decline. We also identify the key drivers of BX and CX, top levers of trust, and emotions that impact brands’ ability to win and retain customers. CX, digital, and marketing leaders should review the current ratings for the industry to understand where improvements are needed.

Discover key banking trends from 2025 and predictions for 2026. Stay ahead with insights on digital banking, customer experience, and AI.

Forrester’s new Total Experience Score, Brand Experience Index (BX Index™), and Customer Experience Index (CX Index™) ratings for 21 US investment firms reveal that their brand promises aren’t resonating and CX continues to decline. This report identifies the key drivers of BX and CX, top levers of trust, and emotions that impact brands’ ability to win and retain customers. CX, digital, and marketing leaders should review the current ratings for the industry to understand where improvements are needed.

Join Forrester experts and your peers for an interactive presentation that will dive deeper into Forrester’s 2026 Predictions for banking and investing.Key takeaways: Understand the changing technology, consumer, and market dynamics in store in 2026. Uncover new insights based on Forrester’s research and expert analysis.Prepare your team and your organization for what’s ahead. Target audience level: all levels

In highly regulated industries like healthcare, insurance, and financial services, trust is imperative but has hit historic lows. As consumer expectations evolve and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, leaders must proactively safeguard and strengthen trust to remain competitive and compliant. Join us for a conversation hosted by Forrester analysts Arielle Trzcinski, Alyson Clarke, and Rohit Makhijani to share learnings and best practices on cultivating trust. This session will include open discussion with participants, so please bring your questions and experiences to share with the group.  Questions for discussion: What roles do transparency and communication play in building long-term trust? How are organizations adapting trust strategies in response to AI, cybersecurity threats, and regulatory changes?Have you had any recent success in moving the needle on trust? What was the approach and how did you measure the impact?Peer discussions are available exclusively to Forrester Decisions VIP Leaders and Leader license holders for their own participation.

In 2026, AI will continue to transform financial services, reshaping how consumers engage, how firms operate, and how competition unfolds. Despite trust concerns, generative AI (genAI) usage is rising fast — including in financial decisions — while AI agents and tools are streamlining operations and modernizing legacy systems. Vibe coding and modular architectures are powering a new wave of digital banking upstarts keen to disrupt the industry — though few of them will succeed. This report outlines our 2026 predictions for banking and investment to help leaders navigate the current uncertainty.