Prediction 1: The Great AI ROI Reckoning

2026 is when the music stops. CFOs are done writing blank checks for "AI innovation" that can't be tied to actual business results. We're already seeing enterprises start to pump the brakes on a significant percentage of their planned AI spending because leadership finally asked the obvious question: "What are we actually getting for this?" And most teams have no good answer from a year of PoCs that never made it into production.

Nymbus, a modern banking platform for U.S. banks and credit unions, today announced that First Entertainment Credit Union has successfully launched CineFi, the first fully digital credit union created exclusively for the entertainment industry in the Atlanta area. This latest partnership is another real-world example of how financial institutions can leverage Nymbus' modern banking solutions to create new brands for specialized market segments.

Eolas Capital, a provider of distribution and business services to boutique asset managers, today announced a strategic partnership with Axyon AI, an Italian fintech company that provides AI solutions to investment firms for product launches and new sources of alpha. As part of the agreement, Eolas will provide Axyon AI with product development and distribution support in North America.

Mastercard, in collaboration with The Egyptian Credit Bureau – iscore, announced a strategic partnership to study building a new scoring model that advances Egypt’s digital lending future and deepens financial inclusion.

Payoneer , the global financial technology company powering business growth across borders, today announced it has acquired Boundless, an Ireland-based Employer of Record (EOR) platform that helps companies seamlessly and compliantly employ people around the world. 

Funding Circle, the UK’s leading SME finance platform, announces the launch of Apple Pay for its Cashback business credit card and FlexiPay customers. This latest feature provides small businesses with a more flexible, secure, and convenient way to manage their business.

Apple Pay allows customers to pay directly from their devices, offering superior flexibility and security. Customers can seamlessly use their phone to pay for everything from last-minute stock to team expenses.

Lemonade, the digital insurance company powered by AI and social impact, today announced the launch of Lemonade Autonomous Car insurance, a first-of-its-kind product designed specifically for self-driving cars, starting with Tesla FSD.

Gr4vy, the cloud-based payments orchestration platform, has joined forces with inclusive global payments platform, Ecommpay, to provide its merchant customers with instant access to a wide range of local and international payment methods.  The partnership underlines Gr4vy’s commitment to taking a merchant-first approach and processing every payment via the best route every time.

AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking & Economics (CIBE), a leading global institution in Islamic finance education, advisory, and capacity building, has officially launched its International Training & Events Calendar for 2026.

Accounting software provider FreeAgent has announced a new partnership with Fathom, the all-in-one reporting, analysis and forecasting platform, to make it easier for UK small businesses and their accountants to manage their finances and make more-informed business decisions.