Trust in consumer banking varies widely in 2026. Primary banks still anchor core products. But confidence differs by generation, product, and channel, with honesty, transparency, and security shaping how consumers evaluate financial providers.

PNC unveiled direct Bitcoin trading for private bank clients—high net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high net-worth (UHNW) individuals. PNC clients will be able to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin through PNC using Coinbase’s crypto as a service product. Amid the Great Wealth Transfer, banks and brokerage firms can’t ignore crypto, and they shouldn’t satisfy themselves with retail offerings. With integrated crypto trading and custody, PNC fixes a crucial competitive gap with crypto firms and forward-thinking brokerages, augmenting wealth services to attract consumers who expect to invest in crypto. Peers will follow.

PNC’s redesigned app, launching in H1 2026, will include “incremental functionality.” The bank hinted at digital direct deposit switching and instant debit card issuance. The new app is a culmination of several years’ worth of work replatforming digital banking. PNC’s aggressive strategy for branch banking includes deploying $2 billion on more than 300 new or renovated branches through 2030 and hiring 2,000 people to support them. When executed well, branch investments should pay off with increased brand awareness and more sales across channels.

PNC said this week that it would open more than 300 new or renovated branches by 2030, nearly 100 more than it had planned as of last year. The expansion is broad-based and includes branch investments in Florida, Tennessee, and Illinois. Branches are a crucial marketing tool for banks, even when their customers have largely migrated to digital channels—like an online retailer that has “showroom” stores with a curated selection of products. It’s not just about how many branches and where they are, but also how they are designed.

PNC Financial is on track to buy FirstBank for $4.1 billion. The deal would give PNC a significant presence in Colorado and Arizona, per AP News. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are reshaping US banking, with this deal following larger ones that reset what financial institutions expect federal regulators to approve. But all of these M&As show that large banks are scaling up to better compete with giants like JPMorgan and Bank of America. This consolidation among super-regional banks clearly signals that the regulatory environment is favorable for such moves. And we expect more of these types of deals in the near future.

The news: Stripe asked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to preserve fee-free open banking as the agency revises Rule 1033. Our take: For now, Section 1033 will remain in place. But as rulemaking proceeds, Stripe’s appeal to the CFPB may fall on deaf ears. The new rule will likely be a defanged version of its predecessor. We expect more firms will pursue Coinbase’s route—carving out individual deals with JPMorgan—or close up shop like Visa.

JPMorgan, Bank of America, and others are opening hundreds of new locations, leaning on physical presence to win deposits and outmaneuver fintech rivals.

The news: The American Bankers Association, the Bank Policy Institute, and Consumer Bankers Association defended their decisions to charge fees to fintechs in a letter responding to the Financial Technology Association’s recent plea to protect Section 1033. Our take: Banks are in lock-step marching toward undoing Section 1033. As competing trade groups make appeals to President Donald Trump—whose own family has expressed support for the open banking rule—fintechs need to prepare for a post-1033 world.

Our eighth annual study reveals which of the 10 largest US banks lead in mobile app innovation, based on an exclusive survey of which features mobile banking users value most.

EWA gives consumers more financial flexibility, especially for gig workers and lower earners

Our third annual study reveals which account opening features US consumers value most, based on our exclusive survey.​

In the fourth of five reports in our “Payments Ecosystem” collection, we look at what’s influencing growth across P2P, remittance, bill pay, payroll, and B2B transactions—and what it means for payment providers.

To weather the ongoing storm, they’re investing in a variety of growth strategies.

Our seventh annual study reveals which of the 15 biggest US banks lead in mobile app innovation—a significant factor in attracting mobile-forward Gen Z—based on an exclusive survey of which features 1,895 mobile banking users value most.

PNC’s efforts led to the invalidation of three USAA mobile check deposit patents, opening the door for appeals from both banks.

Invigorated travel has reestablished demand for travel credit card perks and benefits. But a recession could reverse gains—requiring premium card issuers to balance travel offerings with everyday utility. This second annual study reveals which of 10 leading premium travel credit cards are best positioned to attract and engage customers, based on their support of 49 emerging features.

Taking risk on technology is crucial to competitive advantage: Banks are challenged to counter emerging threats, seize opportunities, and build an innovation pipeline. While digital organizations evolve, corporate labs, ventures, accelerators, and strategic investors lead the charge.

Incumbent banks remain firmly in the lead against neobanks on digital trust—but there are threats to keep their eyes on.

US banks are facing a consumer crisis of faith amid market turmoil. The trust-building actions banks take now will determine how their customer relationships fare in the future.

Banks’ continued investment in marketing, led by the sales of products and solutions to the mass affluent, signals sustained growth in digital ad spending on the heels of a historic snap back in budgets since the pandemic—despite a looming economic downturn.