2026 Banking Sector: World Summit Insights

The Global Economy Summit, held at the Ziraat Bankası General Directorate Auditorium in the Istanbul Finance Center, hosted an important gathering with the participation of the Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek. The summit deeply examined the future state of the banking sector and the perspective for 2026.

During the meeting, necessary steps to ensure financial stability and how the banking sector could undergo a transformation were discussed. Experts emphasized that the increasing digitalization in the banking system and technological advancements have become an inevitable necessity. Especially, the discussions focused on how the rise of digital banking would change the traditional understanding of banking.

The summit highlighted the importance of developing improved legal frameworks and sustainable financial products. Discussions were also held on the impact of global economic dynamics on the banking sector and how these effects could be managed. It was expressed that banks need to strengthen their financial structures and review their risk management systems by 2026.

The impact of financial technologies, particularly FinTech companies on the banking sector, was comprehensively addressed at the summit. Experts shared their opinions on how the competition between these companies and traditional banks has transformed customer experience and service delivery. It was emphasized that developing technologies have changed not only how banks provide financial services but also customer expectations.

The discussions throughout the summit provided participants with an opportunity to conduct careful analyses and identify strategic steps that would determine the future of the banking sector. Banking executives exchanged ideas on how this process could be accelerated and how innovations in the sector could be promoted.

The challenges and opportunities that the banking sector will face by 2026 were a significant focus in the sessions at the summit. Important insights were gained regarding how to manage the transformation process and what strategies industry players should adopt during this process.