Global financial services CEOs upbeat on revenue, profitability and productivity growth in 2026, as ROI in AI exceeds expectations

• Nine in 10 financial services CEOs globally expect revenue, profitability and productivity growth despite muted confidence in global economy
• From pilots to scaling, 25% of global financial services CEOs say AI is delivering significantly ahead of expectations, and 90% report established C-suite or board-level accountability
• M&A, joint ventures and strategic alliances viewed as critical levers to unlocking growth in global financial markets

Financial services CEOs are upbeat about the outlook for the sector in 2026, even as global economic uncertainty weighs on broader sentiment, according to a cut of the latest EY-Parthenon CEO Outlook Survey, a quarterly survey of 240 global financial services CEOs across 21 countries.

Fifty-nine percent of financial services CEOs surveyed are highly optimistic about the sector’s prospects this year, despite just 27% citing high levels of confidence in the outlook for the global economy.

Despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty, nine in 10 CEO respondents expect revenue, profitability and productivity growth in 2026. Twenty-one percent of those surveyed expect a significant rise in revenues and profitability year-on-year, with 46% anticipating a more marked rise in productivity, even as 23% anticipate significant increases in operating costs versus 2025.

Omar Ali, EY Global Financial Services Leader, says:

“In the first month of this year alone, powerful crosscurrents have shaped and reshaped geopolitics, financial markets and technology in new and unexpected ways. For this reason, CEOs of the world’s financial institutions can’t – and won’t – wait for stability.

“The reverberations of policy shifts, market corrections, liquidity risks and valuation pressures all loom large ahead for the C-suite, but the firms leading the way aren’t constrained by macro fears; they’re doubling down on capital discipline, operational excellence, strong risk management and, critically, transformation.”

Outperformance of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation driving CEO confidence

In 2026, AI-driven investment across financial services is expected to evolve from backing technology pilots to scaling initiatives. Forty-five percent of financial services CEOs surveyed regard AI and digital investment as the most important driver of their organization’s resilience and adaptability in the current environment. A quarter of CEOs say that AI initiatives deployed across their business have significantly outperformed expectations, while 57% note delivery ahead of expectations, strengthening C-suite confidence in digital transformation.

On a two-year timeframe, 30% of financial services CEO respondents expect AI to fundamentally transform their firm’s value creation capability, while 63% expect AI to drive major improvements across operations. Among technologies being deployed, 53% of CEO respondents say they expect generative AI (GenAI) to drive the biggest transformational gains, closely followed by machine learning (45%) and autonomous AI agents (38%).

The survey reveals that action on transformational AI initiatives is under notable scrutiny across financial services boardrooms, and 76% of boards now expect metrics on transformation ROI to be tracked and reviewed as frequently as financial results.

Leaders also report significant focus and progress on the governance of AI within their organizations. Ninety percent of financial services CEOs state they have established clear C-suite or board-level accountability for AI outcomes, encompassing ethics, ROI and workforce impact, while 84% say that they are prioritizing the responsible and ethical deployment of AI, even if it slows commercial gains.

Preetham Peddanagari, EY Global Financial Services AI Leader, says:

“As AI deployment shifts from pilots to disciplined scaling across financial services firms, the sector is leading the way in AI governance, building the requisite safeguards as technologies are integrated into core strategies. With nine in 10 CEO respondents reporting board-level frameworks versus eight in 10 across non-financial sectors, it’s clear that financial services are setting the standard for AI governance in 2026.”

Talent remains central to AI-led transformation. Eighty-seven percent of CEOs surveyed are optimistic about their ability to attract and retain talent over the coming year; 60% believe investment in AI will lead to maintaining or increasing headcount, notably higher than the 28% expecting AI to drive a reduction in the workforce in 2026.

M&A, joint ventures and strategic alliances at the forefront of CEOs’ action plans

CEOs’ strategic plans for 2026 look set to support a busy period for M&A and joint ventures across the sector, following a year of proactive planning and positioning. Eight in 10 financial services CEO respondents say they have responded to geopolitical and trade developments with adjustments to their investment plans. While a third report a delay in planned investment and 18% exited an operating market, 32% accelerated investment plans and 24% entered a new market, reinforcing the degree to which management teams are continuing to act decisively in pursuit of strategic opportunities.

Optimizing operations through digitalization, driving top-line growth and improving customer engagement and retention are the leading factors shaping CEO respondents’ acquisitive planning. For those planning divestment, cost savings are a priority driver. Forty-nine percent of financial services CEOs surveyed expect to pursue M&A over the coming year, while 84% report plans for joint ventures or strategic partnerships.

The survey data confirms that the US remains the top global investment destination for financial services, followed by the UK, Canada, Singapore and Germany, evidencing the degree to which CEOs are rebalancing priorities across markets as they recalibrate their objectives.

Andre Veissid, EY-Parthenon Global and Americas Financial Services Industry Leader, says:

“Despite shifting geopolitical and economic conditions, financial services management teams are executing with discipline – breaking ground in new markets or doubling down on acquisitive activity.

“There is a golden window of opportunity right now for firms that act quickly and make bold moves, whether that’s through M&A, new joint ventures or alliances partnerships – and all in the context of AI changing how business is done.”

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