Future of Global Fintech Second Edition 2025

By application area, APAC led in AI adoption across different financial service functions. Among verticals, insurtech led with the highest implementation rate in both customer service (50%) and generation of new revenue streams (47%). While risk management has been noted as a top AI use case in early studies on AI in financial services,26 adoption has expanded into other operational domains. Customer service led, with 37% of fintechs implementing AI in this domain, followed by process automation (34%) (Figure 26). APAC had the highest customer service adoption rate (46%), followed by the US and Canada (40%), while SSA trailed at 16%, reflecting significant regional differences. Process reengineering and automation also saw high rates of adoption (34% implemented, 37% in progress), particularly in wealthtech, where 56% of firms had implemented AI (compared with just 5% in digital capital raising). AI-driven generation of new revenue streams was also strong (with 22% adoption and 36% in progress). This was especially true for the US and Canada (31% implemented). Risk management remained critical – 32% of fintechs reported that they had already implemented AI, while 27% were in the process of implementing. By region, APAC led, with 41% of firms implementing AI in this area. By vertical, 47% of insurtechs reported implementing AI here. Despite risk management not being the top application area, survey responses indicated that this domain remained a high priority, with 29% of fintechs stating they had plans to implement it in the next two years, mainly in the US and Canada (35%) and MENA (34%). Fintechs in the insurtech (35%), digital lending and wealthtech verticals (31% each) also stated they had plans to advance AI in the coming two years. Customer acquisition exhibited lower implementation rates (20% implemented, 41% in progress), though MENA (50% implemented) and Europe (47% implemented) led in this category. Digital banking and savings and wealthtech prioritized customer acquisition, with rates of 36% (implemented) and 35% (implemented), respectively. Overall AI adoption by application area FIGURE 26 Process reengineering and automation Risk managementCustomer service Generation of new revenue stream through products and processes Customer acquisition Implemented Implementation in the next two years Currently implementing No planned implementation37% 34% 20% 9% 34% 37% 20% 9% 32% 27% 29% 12% 22% 36% 25% 17% 20% 41% 22% 17% 37% of fintechs implemented AI in the customer service domain.AI adoption by application area The Future of Global Fintech: From Rapid Expansion to Sustainable Growth 38