India’s banks are poised to lead the global financial sector by harnessing BaaS and AI innovations. Agility and a customer-first mindset are becoming crucial for maintaining a competitive advantage in the evolving landscape.
What are the key regional and global trends currently shaping the banking industry, particularly in India?
One significant trend in the banking industry is the increasing collaboration between banks of various sizes and FinTech firms. This partnership is fundamentally transforming how technology is integrated into banking operations. For example, the rise of Neo banking, Embedded finance, and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) models has accelerated the adoption of open banking. Consequently, banks are compelled to modernise their core infrastructure, particularly the Core Banking System, to ensure compatibility with APIs.
Regulatory support has greatly accelerated adoption cycles. For instance, RBI guidelines on Video-Based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) have revolutionised digital customer onboarding. Sahamati’s standards for Data, Analytics, and User Experience have led to the rise of Technology Service Providers (TSPs) focused on expanding the Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem. Globally, Sustainable Banking is gaining traction. Banks are integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles to promote sustainable practices, meet ethical banking demands, and reduce long-term risks through initiatives like green financing and sustainable investments. Other noteworthy trends are:
Capturing the digital dividend: While most banks have mastered digital, its focus— often—has been on servicing. Turning even a modest number of digital interactions into opportunities holds immense potential. To do that, banks will need to find ways to have meaningful conversations with customers across digital channels.
AI in Banking: AI is transforming banking operations, particularly in customer service, fraud detection, credit scoring
Open Banking and Neo Banks: In India, neo banks are targeting specific segments like Gen Z, SMEs, and gig workers. Open banking is gaining momentum worldwide, with regulatory reforms driving its adoption.
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC): Central banks in 130 countries, representing 98% of the global economy, are exploring CBDCs. The European Central Bank is advancing its digital euro project, while India’s RBI is expanding its CBDC scope, involving 22 banks and non-banking payment companies.
Security and Fraud Mitigation: With increasing digitisation, banks are facing heightened security threats. Innovations in fraud mitigation include password-less authentication, AI for fraud detection, and advanced biometric measures.
What significant shifts in consumer behaviour have you observed recently, particularly in the context of adopting Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS)?
For decades, banks have relied on classical reengineering and cost-cutting methods to improve operations, but these approaches fell short with qualitative challenges. With BaaS, we are trying to address this gap. This new approach will not only deliver the efficiencies banks seek today but will also permanently bend the cost curve.
Given many supporting factors—ubiquitous digitisation (cloud, open banking and APIs included) and growing customer expectations—the rise of BaaS looks logical. And it is poised to only gain momentum, being projected to reach a mind-blowing $7 trillion by 2030. Industries like telecom, insurance, healthcare, and e-commerce are adopting BaaS to provide modern, contextualised banking services and branded financial products efficiently and at scale.
Be where the customer is – This is one of the reason which led to BaaS, the additional possibility of distributing Banking products in somebody else’s ecosystem.
One undeniable change is the rapid evolution of Indian consumer behaviour, significantly impacting banking services and the adoption of Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS). Key indicators of this shift include:
Digital Advancement: Increased digital literacy has led to a preference for DIY digital banking.
Consent based Architecture: Consumers, prioritising convenience, are more willing to securely share their data across platforms, based on consent fostering the growth of BaaS for seamless and fast services.
Rising Customer Expectations: Consumers now demand userfriendly, instant, and ubiquitous banking services. BaaS meets these expectations by offering comprehensive solutions across multiple touchpoints.
How is Banking as a Service (BaaS) developing in India, and what are the key trends and prospects for its growth?
India Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) market size was valued at over $13 Billion in 2023 and the total India Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) revenue is expected to grow at 13.2% through 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly $30 Billion. Providers of Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) must meet the needs of businesses embedding the solution. These providers need to have three pillars for successful execution:
Modern, flexible infrastructure is essential for BaaS success. It enables each banking product to be easily modularised and accessed via well-defined APIs, facilitating smooth integration with third-party organisations and the creation of innovative offerings.
BaaS platforms must ensure seamless scalability to meet partners’ evolving needs while maintaining consistent and reliable service.
Robust security measures are crucial to protect clients and maintain market reputation. Implementing strong data encryption and secure architecture design is essential.
Regulatory support, a thriving FinTech ecosystem, and robust digital infrastructure have accelerated the adoption of Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS). Among them are few key trends in BaaS in India:
Embedded Finance: BaaS integrates banking services like EMI loans, credit cards, and fixed deposits into non-banking platforms (e.g., eCommerce), offering seamless financial solutions.
Financial Inclusion: Digital platforms through BaaS are extending banking services to underserved and remote areas, enhancing financial access.
API Integration: APIs streamline the connection between banking services and third-party applications, boosting the flexibility of BaaS offerings.
Orchestration: It bridges a bank’s legacy systems with FinTech partners, enabling modular solutions and embedding new offerings to meet market demands and customer needs.
The growth of BaaS will also hinge on how organisations deliver digital experiences and develop modular offerings. Financial products—such as accounts, payments, and cards—will need to be designed like ’Lego bricks’,seamlessly integrating into the customer journey.
What are your predictions for the future of the banking industry over the next 5-10 years? How are you positioning yourself to stay ahead of industry developments?
New approaches and technologies, particularly generative AI’s capability to modernise outdated code, are liberating banks from the constraints of legacy core systems. Banks are now focusing their investments on Customer and FinTech Engagement layers, such as API management and digital banking infrastructure. To stay competitive and relevant, banks will need to continue evolving and adopting innovative solutions. Over the next 5-10 years, the following themes will shape the banking industry:
Increased Digital Transformation: Banks will invest heavily in digital technologies like AI, ML, and cloud computing to boost efficiency and modernise operations.
Rise of FinTech Collaboration: Partnerships between traditional banks and FinTech firms will grow, fostering innovation and offering integrated financial solutions.
Personalised Banking Services: There will be a shift towards hyperpersonalized banking, using data analytics to deliver highly tailored services that meet individual customer needs.
Payment Revolution: Payment methods will evolve with the rise of smart wearables, with organisations expected to adopt wearables as a standard payment option by 2030.
Cyber Risk and Financial Crime: Advanced technologies like AI and analytics will be crucial for combating evolving financial crimes and adhering to stricter regulations, protecting institutions from reputational damage.
The competitive advantage will come from being fast and nimble and that should hold true in 2030. Banks need to embrace change and harness the power of digital forces to innovate in smaller, bolder cycles. The future of banking is also going to be about creating an experience that customers love. Having a customer-centric culture is a matter of tapping new opportunities. Hence, putting customers first is a trend that will continue.