This article is part of a short series on what will define payments in 2026.
Want to get the full picture? Stay tuned for the latest trend drop on LinkedIn.
2026 is shaping up to be a milestone year for both finance and iGaming. Two industries that once ran on parallel tracks are now entering a shared cycle of transformation.
Payment behavior is shifting quickly, regulation is tightening, fraud is becoming more sophisticated and performance has moved from a technical detail to a competitive lever.
The changes ahead will influence how users deposit, how operators run their services and how financial institutions build infrastructure that can scale with new demands.
Let’s explore the top 4 trends that will define the landscape for finance and iGaming in 2026.
Top 4 trends shaping Finance and iGaming in 2026.
Several powerful shifts are reshaping both industries and together they define what operators can expect in the year ahead.
Trend 1: AI-driven fraud controls mature.
Digital payment fraud is expected to exceed $50 billion in 2025. Attack rates remain high, with fraud affecting 3.3% of global transactions.
Fraud patterns are evolving. Attackers are using automation, synthetic identities and social engineering in more coordinated ways. AI has become an essential tool for keeping pace with new threat vectors and both finance and iGaming are investing in systems that can adapt in real time.
AI-driven risk engines can spot irregular behavior quickly and they learn from patterns that humans cannot detect at scale. This helps operators reduce exposure without slowing down genuine customers.
Fraud controls have a direct link to performance. If risk rules are too strict, false positives increase, leading to declined legitimate payments. Declines turn into churn and churn harms revenue. When risk scoring is powered by AI, accuracy improves, allowing more real customers to pass through smoothly.
The goal is balance.
Operators need strong fraud protection while also providing a frictionless experience for genuine users. AI makes this possible and 2026 will be the year in which this type of intelligent fraud prevention becomes standard practice.
“AI is reaching a point where it doesn’t just help us fight fraud, it fundamentally changes how we approach it. The biggest gains come from systems that learn on their own and react in real time.
That’s how you reduce false positives without slowing down genuine users. In 2026, relying on manual processes simply won’t be enough anymore.“
Mikael Brandin, CTO at Zimpler
Trend 2: Pay-by-bank moves toward the default choice.
Pay-by-bank is stepping into the mainstream.
The global digital payment market was valued at $114.41 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $361.30 billion by 2030, with a projected CAGR of 21.4% from 2025 to 2030.
The Instant Economy Payment Insights report shows that 73% of respondents are familiar with pay by bank as a digital payment method. Awareness is even higher in some markets, reaching 90% in the UK and 97% in the Netherlands.
The shift toward Pay-by-bank payments is growing across both finance and iGaming because customers want faster settlement and operators want more predictable costs. As instant bank payments become common, the idea of waiting for funds to clear feels outdated.
The rise of real-time payment rails is a major factor. When money moves directly from a bank account to a merchant account in seconds, the experience is simple, secure and reliable. Users benefit from fewer steps at checkout and operators gain a payment method with fewer points of failure than traditional cards.
Cost efficiency is another driver. Pay-by-bank payments reduce dependency on card schemes and their variable pricing structures. Operators gain greater control over fees, which matters in a landscape where margins are closely watched.
Users expect payout times to match deposit times and instant pay-by-bank payments make this possible. Faster withdrawals build trust, increase repeat activity and reduce churn.
Speed, cost and reliability converge here. Pay-by-bank delivers on all three, which positions it as one of the most important payment trends for 2026. This is especially relevant in a market where investment budgets are tight and every percentage point of performance matters.
High approval rates become essential when resources are limited and the quality of the pay-by-bank connection directly influences conversion and revenue stability.
Performance is a commercial advantage, not just a technical metric.
“Pay-by-bank is quickly becoming the payment method people expect. As real-time rails spread, nobody wants to wait for funds or deal with uncertainty. For operators, the shift is also about cost control and performance. The companies that treat pay-by-bank as the new standard in 2026 will be the ones that build the strongest and most trusted user experiences.”
Johan Strand, CEO at Zimpler
Trend 3: Stay tuned.
The next trend in this series will be published shortly. Follow along on LinkedIn for the release.
Your roadmap to payment readiness.
2026 will reward operators who build payment stacks that are resilient, compliant and performance driven.
The right approach is a blend of strategic and practical steps.
- Start with clarity. Operators should review which rails they depend on and assess whether those rails serve the markets they plan to grow. Pay-by-bank adoption is rising and instant bank payments are becoming a standard expectation. Choosing the right partners now will position them well for 2026.
- Next, strengthen fraud and compliance. AI-supported tools will become essential in regulated environments and providers that already invest in these capabilities will help operators move faster.
- Finally, align payment performance with commercial goals. When payments flow smoothly, revenue grows. When risk controls are accurate, fraud decreases. When UX is clean, users stay engaged.
Zimpler is ready to help operators navigate this new landscape.
Our pay-by-bank solutions and compliance-aligned infrastructure support fast pay-by-bank payments, intelligent fraud prevention and a performance mindset that prepares you for 2026.
Explore our insights and speak to our team about partnerships built around pay-by-bank and compliance-aligned solutions.
The information contained in this post is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon for professional advice of any kind. Zimpler does not make any representation or warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of the information and assumes no liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information.