Trust Pivotal to FinTech Innovation, says The Cloud Awards

International Awards program reveals its predictions for FinTech in 2026 

LONDON and NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With the international FinTech Awards entry deadline drawing near, its leadership team gave their views on the direction of the market this week.

The FinTech Awards program is part of The Cloud Awards, an expanding presence in the technology sector. Its global panel of consultants and global technology experts are responsible for identifying the most innovative and useful software and services.

Cloud Awards CEO, James Williams, said: "FinTech is one of the great positive disruptors of the past five years. This inventive sector has facilitated a monumental shift in how financial services are delivered to businesses and the public. Even the most monolithic financial institutions have had to adjust, accommodating demand for 'digital-first' experiences.

"The impact is far-reaching, with 'embedded finance' allowing traditionally non-financial platforms or businesses to see the benefits of FinTech innovation. Consequently, FinTech's influence has spread to a diverse range of sectors – including eCommerce, manufacturing, and healthcare.

"Increasing digitization brings risk as well as reward, however. A customer base can be harder to keep, or grow, in an increasingly competitive ecosystem.

"The race to extract the most value from artificial intelligence should be instrumental in FinTech growth this year. We've already seen some very exciting announcements concerning agentic AI in 2026. However, organizations must not be distracted from delivering value and building trust. The last thing the sector needs is these groundbreaking advancements being hastily misapplied."

Cloud Awards COO, Annabelle Whittall, adds "FinTech has been in an almost constant cycle of innovation. This year, we anticipate 'trust' playing an increasingly important role in that cycle. Vendors able to back up innovation with tangible benefits will have the continued license to innovate further.

"Innovation is more important than ever. It must also service results, reliability, and trust. Ultimately, that is what gives confidence to consumers, businesses and investors."

The FinTech Awards is an international awards program operated by The Cloud Awards. The Cloud Awards has been recognizing excellence in cloud computing since 2011, and launched a program dedicated to FinTech innovation in 2024.

The entry deadline for The FinTech Awards is on Friday January 23, with late entries accepted until Friday February 6. To find out more, head to The Cloud Awards website: www.cloud-awards.com.

Contact details   

For The Cloud Awards   
Matthew Gregory – Head of Marketing 
https://www.cloud-awards.com   
[email protected]
(212) 574-8117

About the Cloud Awards
The Cloud Awards is an international program which has been recognizing and honoring industry leaders, innovators and organizational transformation in cloud computing since 2011. The Cloud Awards comprises five awards programs, each uniquely celebrating success across cloud computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), cloud security, artificial intelligence (AI), and financial technologies (FinTech).

Winners are selected by a judging panel of international industry experts. For more information about the Cloud Awards, please visit https://www.cloud-awards.com/.       

About The FinTech Awards
The FinTech Awards focuses on the major innovations in the world of financial technology, across 23 categories. These include 'Best FinTech for Financial Accounting and Management Accounting' and 'Best FinTech for RegTech and Financial Compliance'.

SOURCE The Cloud Awards