Reports 2026

Our 2026 research programme examines the emerging AI dividend in banking - where early AI investments are generating measurable returns - alongside deep analysis of Gulf banking transformation, agentic AI in practice, and the structural shifts reshaping competition across global markets.

Published Reports

Global Banking Outlook 2026: The AI Dividend and the New Cost Equation
Published 12 January 2026 - 90 pages
Quantifies where AI investment is generating measurable returns and how the cost equation is fundamentally shifting across global banking.

Gulf Banks 2026: Digital Maturity and AI Readiness
Published 10 February 2026 - 76 pages
Country-by-country assessment of digital maturity and AI readiness across the GCC banking sector, with a strategic roadmap for technology leaders.

Agentic AI in Practice: First-Year Lessons from Production Deployments
Published 17 March 2026 - 72 pages
Documents what the first year of autonomous AI deployments in banking has revealed about performance, governance, and ROI reality.

Islamic Finance and AI: Opportunities and Sharia Compliance Challenges
Published 29 May 2026 - 65 pages
Examines how AI applications intersect with Sharia compliance requirements, from automated fatwa screening to AI-driven sukuk structuring and ethical investment screening.
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Saudi Vision 2030: Banking Transformation Progress Report
Published 29 May 2026 - 70 pages
Assesses the progress of Saudi Arabia's banking sector transformation, including digital bank licensing, open banking implementation, and the role of PIF-backed fintech ventures.
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Forthcoming 2026

UAE Open Finance: From Regulation to Ecosystem
Q3 2026 - approximately 62 pages
Analyses the UAE's open finance journey from CBUAE's regulatory framework through to ecosystem development, API adoption, and competitive implications for incumbent banks.

The Gulf Payments Revolution: Real-Time Infrastructure and Digital Wallets
Q3 2026 - approximately 68 pages
Maps the rapid evolution of payments infrastructure across the GCC, from IPP and AFAQ to domestic wallet proliferation and cross-border instant payment corridors.

UK Challenger Banks 2026: Profitability, Scale and the Next Competitive Phase
Q3 2026 - approximately 68 pages
Assesses where the UK challenger banks now stand on profitability, scale, and funding, and what the next competitive phase looks like as the gap widens between those who have reached durable economics and those still searching for them.

AI Cost-Benefit Reality: Measuring Returns After Two Years of Deployment
Q4 2026 - approximately 74 pages
Provides the first comprehensive assessment of AI ROI across banking, with audited case studies covering cost reduction, revenue generation, and productivity improvement.

Post-Core Banking: Early Implementations and Lessons
Q4 2026 - approximately 70 pages
Examines the first wave of banks operating on composable, API-first architectures rather than traditional core banking platforms, with practical lessons for institutions planning similar transitions.