2026 Fintech Predictions: Key Insights from Cross River’s Leadership

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Our leadership team returned for their third predictions webinar, laying out five bets that they believe will shape 2026. Their discussion drew on trends across markets, regulation, technology, and customer behavior.

The five bets in 2026:

1. Fintech goes global without going physical
   Last year's infrastructure gains – stablecoins, digital assets, and real‑time payments—are now robust enough for mainstream, cross-border use. Hillel Olivestone, our Chief Strategy Officer, noted that this foundation “opens the door” for companies to expand into new markets without physical footprints. Benjamin Melnicki, our Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, emphasized that technology is driving globally unified product design, allowing companies to better scale beyond regional boundaries. Adam Goller, our Chief Fintech Officer, added that, while stablecoins may not reshape domestic payments, they will reshape international money movement sooner than many realize.

2. Embedded finance becomes part of daily life
   Customers increasingly expect financial services to appear inside the tools they already use. Embedded finance is now core infrastructure—powering both consumer and business workflows. Noah Cooper, Chief Investment Officer, articulated that embedding credit at the moment of individual need benefits everyone: borrowers get faster, simpler access; platforms and brands deepen engagement; and investors gain real‑time credit insight. Our partnerships with QuickBooks (via Fundbox) and DoorDash (via Parafin) show this at scale.  

3. Fintechs will become full-stack banks
   Even with varied charter options available, a bank is not one‑size‑fits‑all. Hillel outlined options including ILCs, trust charters, and FedLite accounts, and noted that the right choice depends on a company’s larger strategic goals. Many firms will reconsider after confronting the true compliance burden, even though regulators today are more supportive. Timing, political changes, and clarity around what each charter provides will shape how this trend develops. At the end of the day, increased options and collaboration with regulators is positive for the industry.

4. Tokenized banking starts to take shape
   Tokenization remains promising but uneven. Noah pointed to the ability to finance digital assets and the appeal of crypto‑backed lending as early examples. He also noted that incumbency and legacy processes continue to slow adoption. Hillel expects faster progress on the liability side, especially tokenized deposits and stablecoin use cases, while asset tokenization will move more slowly. Benjamin reiterated that tokenization is ultimately a technology shift, and regulatory clarity will dictate the pace of adoption.

5. Liquidity remains strong across capital markets
   Noah described private credit as a stabilizing force that offers durability and better risk alignment than traditional ABS channels. Even during volatility, such as last year’s “Liberation Day”, bilateral structures and stronger diligence helped keep capital flowing. Cross River continues to see itself as a bridge between originators and investors, supporting both sides as private credit opportunities become more sophisticated.

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Bonus: AI begins moving beyond the back office

‍AI is shifting from pure efficiency and automation toward more meaningful financial applications. Hillel in particular voiced optimism for “Agentic Finance,” where intelligent systems help consumers optimize financial decisions automatically. Internally, AI is already accelerating underwriting, onboarding, and credit diligence, turning weeks of work into days.