Alkami Technology, a digital sales and service platform provider for financial institutions in the U.S., in partnership with industry expert Jim Marous and Emerald Research Group, released the 2026 update to the Business Banking Digital Maturity Model. This new research builds on Alkami’s 2024 study, offering insights into how financial institutions are evolving their business and commercial strategies to compete in an increasingly data- and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven market.
The updated study surveyed U.S. financial institutions to identify what separates digitally mature banks and credit unions from their less advanced peers. Findings reveal that success is no longer defined by digital features, but by how effectively financial institutions can connect data, workflows and decisioning across the banking lifecycle, from digital account opening and onboarding to servicing and fraud prevention.
“Business banking digital maturity has entered a new phase,” Marla Pieton, vice president, brand, public relations and influencer marketing at Alkami, said. “The financial institutions pulling ahead are those that unify their data, operationalize insights and execute consistently. AI is accelerating this shift, but only when built on a strong data foundation.”
Key findings from the 2026 update include:
- Data readiness is the foundation for AI success. The most digitally mature institutions report significantly higher levels of complete, actionable client data (71%), enabling faster decision-making and more personalized experiences.
- AI adoption is accelerating across the industry. Eighty-one percent of financial institutions are already leveraging, exploring or piloting AI agents, particularly in areas like digital account opening, account servicing, fraud detection and relationship management.
- Digital maturity isn’t always a linear progression. Some organizations improve gradually; others leapfrog through growth spurts.
- Execution is the differentiator. Financial institutions that align culture, strategy and technology, and act on their data, are outperforming peers and are emerging as market leaders.
The research identifies three critical priorities shaping business banking digital maturity in 2026:
- Digital account opening and self-service: Reimagining account origination by streamlining funding, automating identity verification and seamlessly onboarding new clients into the digital banking platform; reducing friction and accelerating time to account activation.
- Automated fraud prevention: Embedding intelligent, real-time fraud controls throughout the client journey to mitigate risk before losses occur and maintaining a 24/7 security posture.
- Improved employee technology and integrations: Equipping teams with unified data, streamlined workflows, actionable insights, as well as training and upskilling to enhance productivity and client support.
“Over the past year, the conversation about digital maturity in business and commercial banking has shifted from experimentation to execution. AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it is actively shaping strategy, investment decisions, and competitive positioning across the sector,” Jim Marous, owner and CEO of the Digital Banking Report, said. “The organizations that are advancing the fastest have spent the past several years doing the more difficult and less noticeable work of building strong data infrastructure and automation capabilities that enable AI systems to operate with accuracy and confidence.”
