As monetary providers corporations navigate a panorama marked by financial uncertainty, evolving buyer expectations, and fast technological change, one factor is obvious: Know-how is a strategic driver of development, differentiation, and resilience. Regardless of macroeconomic headwinds – from geopolitical tensions to sluggish international development – optimism prevails. Most monetary providers corporations anticipate strong will increase in tech spending over the subsequent 12 months, signaling a transparent dedication to transformation.
Annually, Forrester engages with monetary providers leaders to know their evolving priorities. Our Priorities Survey, 2025 gathered insights from enterprise and expertise professionals throughout the globe, revealing how corporations are aligning their methods to remain aggressive. The findings are captured in our newest report: Enterprise, IT, And Know-how Priorities In Monetary Companies, 2025. Listed here are the important thing takeaways.
Enterprise Items Are Steering The Tech Agenda
In a notable shift, 55% of monetary providers professionals report that tech funds possession now lies principally or fully with enterprise items, or is shared equally with IT. Solely 11% say IT retains full management. This decentralization displays a rising want for agility and responsiveness to buyer calls for. However it additionally introduces new challenges round governance, integration, and long-term strategic alignment.
Buyer Expertise (CX) Takes Heart Stage
Bettering CX has emerged as the highest enterprise goal throughout the monetary providers sector. This comes at a vital time, as Forrester’s CX Index™ reveals a world decline in CX high quality in banking. But, whereas corporations are targeted on development, cost-efficiency ranks low, suggesting a strategic pivot from cost-cutting to worth creation.
To enhance CX, monetary providers corporations are investing closely in digital expertise, aiming to have interaction clients on their phrases — seamlessly, intuitively, and in actual time.
IT Priorities Are Aligned With CX Objectives
The alignment between enterprise and IT priorities is stronger than ever. Enhancing IT capabilities to help CX is a prime focus, with corporations prioritizing:
- Modernization and consolidation of enterprise functions
- Agile and lean budgeting practices
- A shift from reactive to proactive IT operations
- Elevated use of AI-enabled software program improvement to spice up productiveness
These initiatives mirror a broader pattern towards high-performance IT, the place expertise evolves from being merely a device to changing into a strategic catalyst for steady enterprise enchancment.
Challenges Persist: Sources, Legacy Techniques, And Misalignment
Ambition is excessive, however execution is advanced. The highest challenges cited embody:
- Restricted assets
- Unclear objectives and misalignment between departments
- Legacy programs and technical debt
Regional variations are additionally notable: European corporations are extra involved about talent gaps, whereas APAC and North American corporations cite useful resource constraints. Banking professionals spotlight an absence of buyer focus and insufficient efficiency measurement as key points.
Strategic Investments Replicate Evolving Calls for
To remain forward, monetary providers corporations are investing in areas that align with each buyer expectations and regulatory shifts. Key funding areas embody:
- Monetary well-being initiatives
- Open finance and open banking
- Monetary marketplaces to broaden service choices and unlock new income streams
These investments sign a transfer towards ecosystem considering, the place collaboration, openness, and customer-centricity outline the subsequent wave of innovation in monetary providers.
Subsequent Steps
The monetary providers business is at a pivotal second. As expertise turns into extra embedded in each aspect of the enterprise, success will depend upon how effectively corporations can align their methods, modernize their infrastructure, and ship significant buyer experiences.
Forrester is right here to assist. With data-driven insights, confirmed frameworks, and peer benchmarks, we empower monetary providers leaders to show ambition into motion. In case you’re a Forrester shopper, you’ll be able to discover these findings intimately by downloading the report: Enterprise, IT, And Know-how Priorities In Monetary Companies, 2025. And in the event you’d like to debate how these priorities apply to your group, we invite you to schedule an inquiry or steering session.
