Opportunities

in motion

Intro

Ext. Marketing has been helping financial services leaders navigate constant change for over 15 years. Markets have grown, new technologies have emerged and investor preferences – and expectations – have evolved. Through it all, the need to communicate with clarity and purpose has remained. In 2026, financial services firms will face challenges and opportunities, including: evolving regulation, heightened competition and groundbreaking technology that will reshape our industry. This will all happen while new ideas and tools create space for growth. Firms will need to move thoughtfully, while staying agile and creative to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

AI expands possibilities –
if used wisely

42% of enterprises have deployed AI without seeing any ROI.¹

The most powerful technological development – for the time being – will remain artificial intelligence (“AI”). But don’t think of AI as a silver bullet in the world of financial services marketing. AI is a tool to augment. The opportunity lies in using AI to build stronger client relationships, develop and deliver faster insights and, eventually, to personalize communications at scale. AI works best when it complements people, not replaces them. We’ve seen this unfolding for over two years now, and we expect that trend to continue. Firms that align AI with the humans who build AUM will unlock better outcomes.

Investor education becomes a competitive advantage

45% of wealthy clients see investment complexity compounding rapidly.²

2026 marks a turning point for investor education. Why? Because technology is expanding people’s access to financial markets, and many investors are entering these markets without a firm understanding of how they work. All aspects of investing are getting more complex, as product evolution speeds up, disclosures get more detailed, crypto captures attention and clients’ needs broaden. This gap presents an opportunity for financial services firms to make education a key differentiator once again. Firms that weave clear, timely education into every client interaction, through campaigns, advisor tools and content, will strengthen their long-term relationships.

Global cooperation rewrites business terrain

30% of global trade could swing from one trade corridor to another by 2035.³

The global economy is reshaping itself through new trade partnerships and shared priorities. For financial services firms, that will lead to new investment opportunities in equities and bonds, which should make for great, client-friendly content. Cooperation and diversification are key themes for both businesses and portfolios. Firms that can connect the dots between shifting global alignments and new investment opportunities will stand out with clients.

The age of alts continues

30% of diversified alternatives added to a balanced portfolio raises projected annual returns.⁴

Investors will continue to expand their search for new sources of growth and income. After nearly a decade of mega-cap dominance and low yields, they do not have much of a choice. New access to private markets and renewed interest in income strategies are likely the most significant evolution of portfolio design since the launch of managed solutions. This creates new stories for financial services marketers to tell when stretching the boundaries of balance, diversification and opportunity.

Content strategy is
client strategy

177% is the average profit from content marketing, with an ROI of $2.77 for every $1 spent.⁵

Content will evolve from a marketing function to a business function. Financial services firms that treat content like a part of the infrastructure of their business when connecting marketing, sales, client support, internal communications and compliance will reap the benefits of doing so. Ext. Marketing has always espoused repurposing content to make it work harder. The opportunity is to build an ecosystem that can turn every article, commentary and campaign into conversations with even bigger audiences.