A Comparative Look: Digital Transformation in Banking Across Regions

Digital transformation is reshaping the global banking sector, but the journey is far from uniform. Banks in the UK, US, Germany, Canada, Australia, Southeast Asia (SEA), and France are all accelerating their digital agendas, yet each market faces distinct challenges, priorities, and opportunities. This comparative analysis explores both the shared imperatives and the unique regional nuances that define the current state—and future direction—of digital transformation in banking.

Shared Imperatives: Universal Drivers of Change

Across all major markets, several themes consistently emerge:

1. Customer Experience as a Top Priority
   Improving customer experience is the leading digital transformation goal globally. Banks are investing in personalized, omnichannel journeys, leveraging data to tailor products and services, and seeking to deliver seamless experiences across digital and physical channels. For example, 44% of US banks, 40% of UK banks, and 39% of Australian banks cite personalized customer journeys as a leading priority. SEA and French banks are also focused on combining customer data for richer insights.
2. AI and Intelligent Technologies
   The adoption of AI, machine learning, and generative AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment. In the US, 53% of banks cite AI and emerging technologies as their top priority for the next three years, with similar focus in the UK (45%), Germany (47%), and Australia (31%). Internal, non-customer-facing use cases—such as credit analysis, risk measurement, and document automation—dominate current investments, with 50-66% of banks in major markets pursuing these applications.
3. Operational Agility and Cloud Migration
   Legacy technology and lack of agility remain persistent barriers. Banks in Canada (48%), the US (38%), UK (32%), Australia (31%), and Germany (34%) all cite legacy systems as a major hindrance. Investment in cloud-based core banking systems is a top operational priority in Germany (34%), UK (35%), Australia (31%), and SEA (35%).
4. ESG and Diversity
   Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations are increasingly driving transformation, especially in France (50%), SEA (65%), and Australia (57%). However, there is a notable gap between intention and action, with many banks lacking the data and processes to measure ESG performance. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments are highest in SEA (42%) and Australia (36%), but lag in the US (22%) and France (37%).

Regional Nuances: What Sets Each Market Apart

United Kingdom

• Top Priorities: Cybersecurity, customer experience, efficiency, new products.
• Barriers: Budget constraints, legacy tech, regulation, skills gap.
• AI Focus: 75% see AI’s greatest potential in efficiency and speed; 76% prioritize internal generative AI.
• Self-Assessment: 63% believe they are ahead of competitors in customer experience transformation.

United States

• Top Priorities: AI/emerging tech, customer experience, agility, cybersecurity.
• Barriers: Legacy tech, operational agility, regulatory complexity.
• Self-Assessment: 61% believe they’re ahead in customer experience transformation; 91% in innovation.

Germany

• Top Priorities: Cybersecurity, revenue growth, agility, customer experience.
• Barriers: Budget, skills gap, data access.
• AI Focus: 47% prioritize AI/emerging tech; 50% focus on internal generative AI.
• DEI Leadership: German banks lead in DEI commitments (58%).

France

• Top Priorities: Agility, new customer acquisition, customer experience, cybersecurity.
• Barriers: Data access, unified strategy, regulation.
• ESG: 50% cite ESG as the top priority; 62% say ESG drives transformation.

Australia

• Top Priorities: Agility, customer experience, new customer acquisition, cybersecurity.
• Barriers: Budget, data access, regulation.
• AI Focus: 75% favor custom AI tools; 55% focus on internal use cases.

Canada

• Top Priorities: Cybersecurity, efficiency, agility, revenue growth, customer experience.
• Barriers: Legacy tech, regulation, lack of unified strategy.
• Customer Centricity: 56% focus on combining customer data for richer insights.

Southeast Asia

• Top Priorities: Customer experience, new products, efficiency, agility.
• Barriers: COVID-19, regulation, legacy tech.
• ESG and DEI: 65% say ESG drives transformation; 42% have DEI commitments.

What Sets Transformation Leaders Apart?

Banks making the most progress—transformation leaders—share several traits:

• Customer-Led Culture: 95% say customer centricity drives key decisions.
• Agile Operating Models: 99% have embraced agility at scale.
• Platform-Based, Data-Driven Approaches: Leaders invest in cloud, AI, and analytics to enable real-time insights and innovation.
• Partner Ecosystems: 98% have broad partner networks to compete with digital-first challengers.
• Talent and Culture: Investment in upskilling, reskilling, and cultural change is as important as technology.

Actionable Insights for Banks

1. Benchmark Against Global Peers: Use these insights to assess your bank’s progress relative to global leaders. Identify gaps in customer experience, operational agility, and technology adoption.
2. Prioritize Data and AI: Invest in modern data architectures and AI capabilities to enable personalization, efficiency, and innovation at scale.
3. Accelerate Cloud Migration: Modernize core banking systems to unlock agility and support new digital business models.
4. Embed ESG and DEI: Move beyond intention to action by developing robust data and processes for ESG measurement and DEI commitments.
5. Foster a Culture of Agility: Break down silos, empower cross-functional teams, and invest in talent development to drive transformation at pace.

Conclusion: Charting a Path Forward

While the pace and focus of digital transformation vary by region, the direction is clear: banks must become more agile, data-driven, and customer-centric to thrive. The most successful banks are those that know their competitive landscape, transform people and culture alongside technology, build strong partner ecosystems, and embrace AI and intelligent technologies. As the industry continues to evolve, those who act boldly and decisively will define the future of banking.

Publicis Sapient partners with leading banks worldwide to accelerate digital transformation, helping them navigate local complexities while adopting global best practices. To learn more about how your bank can benchmark itself globally or adapt best practices from other regions, contact us today.