Schwab is making a decisive move to serve ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients, those with at least $30 million to invest, per Investopedia. To accomplish this in a segment traditionally dominated by larger competitors, the firm plans to open 16 new branches, expand or relocate 25 existing branches, and hire over 400 new branch staff. Schwab is covering its competitive bases by leveraging its existing robust digital platform with a newly enhanced network of high-end, strategically placed branches. With 43 million accounts across its brokerage and banking divisions, this strategy is designed to poach assets from competitors and seamlessly graduate non-UHNW clients into higher-end, enhanced service accounts.

Deposits are moving out of community financial institutions (FIs) and into crypto exchanges—from 1% per month 18 months ago to 5% today, per PYMNTS. Instead of chasing these funds by trying to become more like crypto apps, community FIs are increasingly offering stablecoin products. Smaller FIs must not lose sight of what makes them stand out: human centricity, local knowledge, and customer service. By incorporating new technologies and digital currencies into their everyday offerings—instead of reinventing themselves—FIs can remain grounded in those differentiators while still potentially appealing to digital-first demographics.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss our ‘very specific, but highly unlikely’ predictions for the end of 2025 and start of 2026. Whether Snap’s Spectacles will gain traction faster than Meta’s Ray-Bans have, if Netflix will start showing users shoppable product placement ads, and if TikTok will introduce a GenAI assistant to the app with commercial intent. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Director of Reports Editing, Rahul Chadha, Senior Analyst, Max Willens, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

USAA has topped Investor’s Business Daily’s 2025 “30 Most Trusted Financial Companies” ranking. The financial institution (FI) scored exceptionally well across nearly all trust attributes. This ranking reinforces the importance of not only financial soundness, which respondents ranked consistently as their most important factor influencing trust, but also of developing a deep understanding of your customers. And the work doesn’t stop there—it’s what FIs do with that understanding that matters.

The news: We’ve covered the importance of life-stage banking, which demonstrates an understanding of customers’ most pressing needs and helps banks move past product-centricity. With its family-focused products, SoFi demonstrates what this strategy can look like in practice. Our take: SoFi is far from the only bank to have developed products aimed at solving target customers’ financial challenges. But its holistic approach to financial health could help it stand out when young parents are looking for the right fit for their families, especially considering its savings rate—which is well above many of its traditional competitors’. Customers' deposits are largely determined by banks’ rates, and are much more volatile than many banks assumed. Learn more by reading our article, “Customer deposits are more volatile than banks assumed: What banks can do to keep them.”

The news: Capital One, after acquiring Discover, plans to significantly expand its card businesses using Discover's network. This allows the bank to boost profitability and enhance offerings. CEO Richard Fairbank emphasized new services, including attractive rewards for debit cards and compelling credit card deals, funded by increased interchange revenues. Our take: Capital One's Discover acquisition maximizes its expanded infrastructure. Owning a payment network allows Capital One to capture more interchange revenue, reinvesting it into more competitive debit and credit card products. This approach will appeal to consumers facing financial uncertainty, promising better rates and rewards, strengthening Capital One's market position and ability to attract/retain customers.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how tariffs will impact private labels, if private label still a synonym for “affordable”, and some unofficial awards for the 5 most interesting private label players. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves and Analyst Arielle Feger.

GOBankingRates research examines what young adults do with their paychecks.

Over half (53%) of US business leaders at midsize companies identified the introduction of new products/services as their growth strategy through 2025, per a January report from J.P. Morgan.

The technology will improve banks’ customer service and help them deliver more personalized interactions.

With a 130% YoY spending jump, companies are doubling down on AI to drive innovation, despite concerns over data security and workforce readiness.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what happens next now that sports-focused streaming service Venu Sports has been blocked, how to get customers onboard with your AI-infused products and services, how the streaming bundle is changing, the US considering a breakup of Google to address its search monopoly, the most sort after plane seats, and more. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Ross Benes and Max Willens.

And the generation of banking consumers that most needs an urgent intervention isn’t the youngest one.

Some are disproving the commonly held belief that they can’t reach profitability.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what finding products online will look like in 2025, if Target's new membership program can stack up against Amazon Prime and Walmart+, how ads on chatbots will change advertising, how to make stores more fun places to shop, what the world's first "ketchup insurance" offers, how Americans use dating apps, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our vice president of content Suzy Davidkhanian and analysts Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf and Carina Perkins.

On today's podcast episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss how Gen Zers discover products; where they stand on buy now, pay later; and how loyal they really are to brands. Then, for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank three campaigns that really worked with Gen Z. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analyst Arielle Feger and editor Catherine Ollinger.

Along with digital upgrades, banks must improve the customer experience with relevant products and services.

Google’s ChatGPT conundrum: Generative AI is becoming a headache for the tech giant that wants to take the ethical high road while also staying competitive in a fast-moving market.