Delivering valuable IT solutions to financial services companies requires staying ahead of evolving priorities while capitalizing on the sector’s rapid growth. The fintech market alone is projected to grow from $320 billion in 2024 to a staggering $1.5 trillion by 2030.1 To connect effectively with IT buyers, technology providers must align their offerings with the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.
Across all financial segments, organizations are balancing economic pressures with the need for modernization. Slower top-line growth, talent shortages, and inflation are top concerns (see Table 1), while fintech leaders are also prioritizing legacy system upgrades and cybersecurity enhancements.3 Marketers who tailor their messaging to these priorities—focusing on ROI, scalability, and long-term value—will gain a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving landscape.
| Response | % Respondents |
| Slower Top-Line Growth | 19% |
| Our Ability to Hire and Retain Critical Talent | 18% |
| Strategic Alignment and Execution Gaps on our Executive Team | 17% |
| Increases in Costs | 15% |
| Enterprise Data Quality | 14% |
| Al Strategy and Implementation | 9% |
| Political and Regulatory Changes | 8% |
What’s Driving Buyer Decisions?
As financial services organizations navigate economic shifts and digital transformation, buying decisions are no longer centralized. Instead, they involve cross-functional committees, including IT, compliance, customer experience, and executive stakeholders. This shift demands a more strategic approach to messaging and engagement.
Here are some key trends shaping IT buyer behavior—and how marketers can effectively position their solutions:
Slower Top-Line Growth
With U.S. GDP growth expected to stabilize at around 1.5 percent, financial institutions face margin pressures and declining borrowing demand.4 To stay competitive, banks and fintech firms must focus on operational efficiency and new revenue streams.
Marketing Insight: Emphasize how your solutions drive efficiency, cost reduction, and risk mitigation. Demonstrate clear ROI with success stories of financial institutions using technology to maintain profitability in a challenging economy.
AI as a Strategic Imperative
AI has moved from a future possibility to a present necessity. Nearly 60 percent of finance teams already use AI, with adoption projected to hit 90 percent by 2026.5 Banks implementing generative AI are seeing productivity gains of up to 30 percent.6
Marketing Insight: Highlight AI-powered capabilities in your solutions, such as automation, fraud detection, and predictive analytics. Provide real-world examples of how AI enhances decision-making, security, and customer experience.
Strategic Partnerships as a Force Multiplier
The financial industry is shifting from standalone solutions to interconnected digital ecosystems. Banks, fintechs, and technology providers are leveraging open APIs and shared platforms to accelerate innovation, enhance customer experiences, and navigate industry challenges together. These partnerships aren’t just beneficial—they’re essential for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving market.7
Marketing Insight: Strengthen your partnership and ecosystem story with compelling success stories, integration tools, and real-world case studies. Position your brand as a key player in driving seamless collaboration, unlocking new growth opportunities, and delivering measurable impact.
Workforce Challenges and Operational Efficiency
Slower economic growth and shifting workforce expectations are pushing financial institutions to invest in automation. AI-powered tools are now essential for reducing repetitive tasks and freeing employees for high-value work. Notably, 81 percent of bank CIOs say employee expectations are higher than ever.8
Marketing Insight: Show how your solutions ease workforce burdens, boost productivity, and enhance employee experiences. Position automation as a tool for empowerment, not replacement.
Enterprise Data Quality and Security
With AI, automation, and digital transformation accelerating, financial institutions must prioritize data integrity and cybersecurity. Poor data quality can lead to flawed risk assessments, compliance failures, and operational inefficiencies, while security vulnerabilities leave firms exposed to fraud and cyberattacks. The urgency is real—data breaches in financial services increased by 17 percent in 2024, highlighting the need for stronger security frameworks and risk management strategies.9
Marketing Insight: Position your solutions as critical for securing financial data, ensuring compliance, and enabling smarter decision-making. Highlight capabilities such as real-time data validation, advanced encryption, AI-driven anomaly detection, and regulatory compliance support to show how your technology safeguards financial institutions.
Winning with Financial Services IT Buyers in 2025
The financial services landscape is evolving, and IT buyers are making decisions with a sharper focus on security, AI adoption, operational efficiency, and digital transformation. To stay ahead, technology providers must go beyond offering solutions—they need to demonstrate strategic value, seamless integration, and measurable business impact.
Companies that position themselves as trusted partners in financial services innovation—with solutions that address real industry challenges—will build stronger relationships and drive deeper engagement.
Ready to refine your go-to-market strategy? Contact Exact Market today to elevate your approach and maximize your impact.
- Boston Consulting Group, Financial Institutions Global Fintech 2024, June 2024.
- Gartner, Gartner Finance Survey Shows Slower Top Line Growth and Talent Issues Biggest CFO Worries for 2025, December 2024.
- Thomson Reuters, Are You Ready? 4 Major Fintech Trends for 2025, January 2025.
- Deloitte, How—and to what extent—will macroeconomic shifts impact US banks in 2025?, October 2024.
- Business Chief, Nearly 60% of Finance Teams Now Using AI – Gartner, September 2024.
- Accenture, Banking on AI: Banking Top 10 Trends for 2024, accessed January 2025.
- FinTech Magazine, Digital Ecosystems: An Era of Collaboration in Finserv, July 2024.
- Gartner, What Bank CIOs Will Do to Deliver IT Workforce Skills, accessed January 2025.
- IBM Security, Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, accessed January 2025.
