2025 is full of uncertainties for banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Analysts predict the industry will benefit from regulatory changes and the expansion of new technologies. At the same time, the impacts of economic factors — such as tariffs and interest rate changes — remain unknown.
This report combines insights from industry analysts’ projections for 2025 with findings from Strata’s independent research. Examples of key findings include:
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Commercial loans are projected to be the No. 1 area of profitability growth in 2025.
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Easing of the regulatory environment could alleviate capital requirements on banks, but boost competition from fintechs and cryptocurrency providers.
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Interest rate changes are seen as the industry’s No. 1 risk and driver of business model change.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to have the biggest long-term impact on the future of financial services.