MONETT, Mo.–A new national survey has found more than three-quarters of financial institutions plan to increase tech investments over the next two years, with executives at CUs and banks differing on how they plan to invest. 

The findings are included in Jack Henry’s 2025 Strategy Benchmark survey, which features responses from 149 financial executives.

Overall Findings

Among the findings, according to Jack Henry:

• 76% of institutions plan to increase tech investments over the next two years, with 33% projecting 6-10% increases. 
• Banks prioritize deposit growth and operational efficiency, while credit unions focus on efficiency and loan growth. :

Top Priorities 

• Banks: Growing deposits, increasing operational efficiency, and growing loans are top strategic priorities for banks.
• Credit Unions: Increasing operational efficiency, growing loans, and acquiring accountholders are highest on the list for credit unions.

Leading Concerns

• Banks: Net interest margin compression, fraud losses, and acquiring/retaining talent are the biggest concerns for banks.
• Credit Unions: Fraud losses, acquiring younger accountholders, and cyberattacks are  most concerning to credit unions.

Digital Banking and Cybersecurity

Both banks and credit unions plan to invest in digital banking, fraud prevention, and automation to enhance the user experience and guard against rising cyber threats like phishing attacks, ransomware, and other malware, Jack Henry reported.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Credit unions continue to invest heavily in AI, while banks’ investments in AI increased significantly over last year, the survey found.

Small Businesses

• 80% of banks and credit unions plan to expand services for small businesses over the next two years, up from 78% in 2024 and 65% in 2023.
• Top planned services: payments, digital service tools, and credit/lending.

Payments

• 89% of financial institutions plan to add new payment services over the next two years, with FedNow being the top priority for both banks and credit unions.
• Digital card issuance, same-day ACH, and contactless cards round out the top payment priorities.

The study’s results are based on an online survey conducted in January and February 2025 of a diverse sample of Jack Henry clients with assets ranging from less than $500 million to more than $5 billion. Download the eBook to learn more.