Dubai – 17 June 2026
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), has released the second report in its 2026 Future of Finance series, highlighting how resilience, rather than scale or legacy, will determine the future success of banks amid accelerating industry disruption.
Titled The Changing Face of Banking: Building Resilience Through Change, the report explores how banks are adapting to a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), digital-native challenger banks and shifting global market dynamics.
According to the report, challenger banks are redefining industry standards through AI-driven, cloud-first and asset-light operating models that deliver greater speed, personalisation and cost efficiency. Their rise is intensifying pressure on traditional institutions, forcing the sector to innovate at an unprecedented pace. Without decisive transformation, global banking profit pools could shrink by USD 170 billion by 2030, leaving many institutions struggling to generate returns above their cost of capital.
The report identifies AI as the sector’s most significant enabler of transformation, rapidly evolving from a productivity tool into core banking infrastructure. As digital-native institutions establish new benchmarks for efficiency and customer experience, AI is increasingly becoming the foundation of next-generation banking models.
His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said: “As the banking industry undergoes its most profound transformation in nearly two decades, institutions must embrace innovation, resilience and adaptability to remain competitive in a landscape increasingly shaped by AI, digital assets and shifting global markets. DIFC is committed to supporting this transition through a future-focused ecosystem that connects global financial institutions with high-growth opportunities across the MEASA region.”
The report forms part of a four-part Future of Finance series being published throughout 2026 and draws on insights from a senior industry roundtable hosted by DIFC, alongside interviews with leading banking and fintech executives, including Ambareen Musa, CEO GCC at Revolut, Rohit Garg, Chief Digital Officer and Group Head of Retail Products at Emirates NBD, and Fernando Morillo, Group Head of Retail Banking at Mashreq.
Dubai Positioned at the Centre of Banking Transformation
The report highlights that banks acting early on digital transformation will be best placed to capture new customer segments, expand into emerging markets and access new asset classes.
Dubai’s strategic location between East and West continues to attract fintech innovators, challenger banks and global financial institutions seeking access to fast-growing markets across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. As mobile-first banking gains momentum, the emirate is increasingly serving as a launchpad for firms looking to scale across high-growth regions.
With a thriving ecosystem that enables both competition and collaboration, DIFC continues to strengthen its role as a hub for banking innovation and growth.
AI, Regulation and New Growth Opportunities
The report notes that banks are increasingly leveraging innovation-friendly jurisdictions to test AI-powered services, governance frameworks and new operating models before wider deployment. As the world’s first AI-native financial centre, DIFC is embedding intelligence into regulatory processes and market infrastructure, helping firms build, test and scale AI-enabled financial solutions.
Home to 290 banking and capital markets firms, including 17 of the world’s 19 global systemically important banks, DIFC provides a strategic platform for institutions navigating structural change across the industry.
The report also identifies entrepreneurs, family offices and women as rapidly growing yet underserved client segments. By combining AI-driven insights with personalised advisory services, banks can better anticipate customer needs and unlock new revenue opportunities.
Family offices, particularly in emerging markets, are becoming larger and more sophisticated, creating demand for specialised services such as cross-border structuring, private market access and succession planning. DIFC’s ecosystem supports these evolving requirements through next-generation banking capabilities, including AI-enabled client engagement, digital assets and innovative operating models.
Backed by a pro-innovation regulatory framework, robust legal infrastructure and a deep financial ecosystem, DIFC continues to reinforce Dubai’s position as a leading global capital hub and a key platform shaping the future of banking and finance.
