Globally, 49% of consumers have used AI to inform savings or investment decisions in the past six months (EY, 2026). As people become more open to digital financial management, companies worldwide are integrating AI into everyday money transactions – whether through automated purchases, chatbot-supported account transfers or accessible budgeting tips.

As we cover in Consumers & Investing, people are treating high-risk investments as a strategy to accelerate their financial progress. New platforms are emerging that give everyday clients access to alternative assets previously limited to the ultra-wealthy, including collectibles, futures trading and pre-IPO stocks.

Smart finance brands continue to increase access to comprehensive financial planning tools – a topic we’ve covered since our 2020 report Economic Inclusion. The next generation of services targets specific concerns: think retirement savings plans that educate individuals on long-term budgeting practices and investment platforms that coach users to become skilled traders.

Insurance is flexing to meet evolving consumer needs, building off themes we introduce in our 2022 report Insurance for What Matters Now. Some products are targeting overlooked cohorts – including low-income communities – while others aim to improve upon existing insurance products, such as prevention-focused health insurance.

Institutions worldwide are experimenting with cryptocurrency, but rather than using popular, volatile coins, financial firms are opting for services that leverage stablecoins – cryptos whose value is pegged to another asset (like the US dollar). Companies are looking to win customers by deploying stablecoins to accelerate timely and costly inter-bank and cross-border money transfers.