Four-in-five financial services firms poised for growth amid shifting global dynamics

• Financial service firms are prepared for growth despite ongoing geopolitical and technological disruption, with improved resilience and operational readiness
• The use of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity remain a top focus
• Nine-in-10 financial firms report tariffs having an impact on operations

Leaders of Financial Services sector firms report opportunities for growth persist in the sector despite growing challenges from trade barriers, cybercrime, and geopolitical disruption, a new report from global law firm DLA Piper reveals.

DLA Piper’s Financial Futures: Leading through disruption report shows that overall optimism remains strong, with companies addressing ongoing disruption as the new normal and with greater resilience, operational readiness, and technology adoption. Many are investing in core operating models built to withstand prolonged periods of instability due to geopolitical tensions, trade barriers, and shifting regulatory requirements and are increasingly focused on managing risk by integrating compliance and governance considerations into decision-making processes.

The report surveyed nearly 800 senior decision makers at global financial firms, including banks, fund managers, fintechs, and market infrastructure, with revenues ranging from under USD10 million to more than USD10 billion.

Key findings include:

• 83 percent are optimistic about the short term outlook (next 12-24 months) for the sector despite geopolitical headwinds.
• Nine-in-ten firms (89 percent) report that trade barriers have had an impact on operations, with a third reporting that geopolitical pressures are reshaping investment allocation and capital flows.
• Use of AI is accelerating and has become embedded in operations and business strategy, with 66 percent of firms investing in required technology (up from 64 percent in 2024) and 58 percent providing training to embed AI into day‑to‑day operations (up from 51 percent in 2024).
• Nearly half of leaders cite ongoing compliance challenges as a major business impact, up from almost a fifth in 2024.
• Despite less than one quarter of respondents viewing sustainability as having a significant impact on business (down from 58 percent in 2024, in part due to a pull back in the US), 82 percent increased sustainability investment in 2025.
• Keeping up with the speed of regulatory change in sustainability is the most pressing challenge (51 percent, up from 39 percent in 2024).

Commenting on regulatory challenges and opportunities, Isabelle Ord, Global Co-Chair, Financial Services sector at DLA Piper, said: “Amid ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, firms will continue to review their portfolios to ensure asset value is matched to risk and to support resilience and alignment with long-term risk.”

Tony Katz, Global Co-Chair, Financial Services sector at DLA Piper, added: “Financial services firms need to be ready to adapt – embedding regulatory change into their strategic planning. The good news is that as jurisdictions compete to drive economic growth, regulators are in listening mode, giving the industry scope to help shape the future of financial regulation.”

Reflecting on the overall sentiment in the sector, Mark Dwyer, Global Co-Chair, Financial Services sector at DLA Piper,

Margo Tank, Global Co-Chair, Financial Services sector at DLA Piper, added: “Today’s US financial services leaders are establishing operating models that can adjust to regulatory changes and global instability while maintaining growth momentum.”