As digital payments dominate in 2026, firms must balance rapid innovation with tighter regulation, strengthening controls across fraud, resilience, and customer protection.
With digital transactions soaring and cash usage falling below 10%, payments firms are at the heart of innovation and regulatory change.
Payments in 2026 will be a balancing act: the sector is innovating at full speed — but regulators expect firms to strengthen controls just as fast. Amid rising regulatory scrutiny and an expanding set of risks, firms must balance innovation and meet emerging customer expectations while maintaining a safe and compliant operating environment.
In this Insights article, we set out the key themes driving this fast-evolving sector, including:
- Consumer Duty
- Safeguarding customers’ funds
- Wind-down planning
- Operational resilience
- APP fraud
- Open Finance
Click the link to see what our experts think: Top themes 2026: Payments sector.
