Just launched: Financial Services Sector Study 2025

FutureBrand has released its FutureBrand Index Sector Study, Financial Services 2025: Trust As The New Currency, revealing that over the past decade, Financial Services brands have seen the most significant shift in brand perception. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies raise concerns around ethics, data security, and consumer trust, a clear ‘trust divide’ has emerged between the two sectors. This divide is influencing consumer decisions, particularly when it comes to choosing the financial institutions with which they engage.

Financial Services Brands Lead with Trust-Driven Innovation

While the tech sector has long been synonymous with rapid disruption, Financial Services brands are proving that innovation and trust can coexist - and even drive sustainable growth. Regulatory frameworks, once seen as barriers to progress, have instead fostered an environment of controlled innovation, where stability and security don’t hinder progress, they drive it.

Unlike their tech counterparts, which have faced consumer scepticism over data privacy and unchecked influence, Financial Services brands have strategically integrated innovation at a measured pace. Technologies such as Open Banking, multi-factor authentication, and end-to-end encryption go beyond security measures - they are trust-building tools that reinforce consumer confidence. As a result, Financial Services brands have seen greater growth in perception of Innovation and data responsibility, now rivaling tech giants like Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft.

Rich Curtis continues: "The difference is that these brands aren't pursuing disruption at all costs, but rather shaping progress purposefully and responsibly. This demonstrates that you don't need to 'move fast and break things' in order to drive digital transformation. With trust as their competitive edge, Financial Services brands now have the permission to innovate boldly in ways that deliver real value for customers."

This deliberate, consumer-first approach has fuelled the rise of Financial Services brands in the FutureBrand Index, with Bank of America, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China emerging as the top three net risers of the past decade. By prioritising secure, accessible, and seamless customer experiences, Financial Services brands show that the future of innovation isn’t about speed alone - it’s about earning and maintaining trust.

More Than Just Banking: A New Era of Personality

Financial Services brands are no longer just functional institutions - they have evolved into distinct, purpose-driven brands that resonate on a human level. The latest FutureBrand Index reveals that ‘Personality’ has become a defining strength for these brands, setting them apart in a traditionally conservative industry.

Victoria Berry adds: "By surfacing and expressing the true character of their organisation, these brands have created the connections required to remain relevant and reliable despite rapid technological change. But these brands aren't just digitising, they're humanising technology in ways that resonate with customers' aspirations and values. Today’s strongest brands are built to inspire, not simply serve.”

‘Authenticity’, ‘Respect’, ‘Trust’ and ‘Innovation’ are now the key drivers of Financial Services brand perception, demonstrating the growing demand for brands that are not only technologically advanced but also ethical, transparent, and relatable. With ‘Personality’ increasing by 69%, alongside notable growth in ‘Story’ (+66%) and ‘Pleasure’ (+74%), the sector is experiencing a clear shift towards engagement-led branding.

This reinvention of Financial Services branding signals a new competitive advantage: being a brand with character, purpose, and emotional resonance is now just as important as offering seamless digital experiences. As Financial Services brands continue to find their voice, and inspire trust, they are proving that finance is no longer only a matter of money - it’s about meaningful relationships.

Download the Financial Services Sector Study 2025 in full here.