The Wow!Banking initiative is preparing a new study on the future viability of German banks. As part of the Future Report on the German Financial Sector for 2027, the initiative’s founding members—BSI Software, fino digital, msg for banking, and G+D Netcetera—aim to analyze once again this year which challenges and innovation topics are driving financial institutions with regard to the future viability of the German banking industry, and where they may be overlooking potential opportunities. Once again, the core of the study is a survey of German banks. Compared to the study conducted by Wow!Banking last year, however, the new report introduces two new features.
One of these new features relates to the content. The underlying survey has been expanded to include the question of strategic business model viability and profitability.
“This expansion of the scope helps to understand future viability not only as the ability to adapt to technological or regulatory changes, but also as the ability to develop sustainable economic prospects under changing market, customer, and competitive conditions,” said Prof. Dr. René R. Schleus.
He and his team had already designed the study last year on behalf of Wow!Banking and are implementing it again this year. In addition to this new aspect, the study—like last year’s analysis—will examine developments in the German banking industry, particularly in areas such as personalized advisory services, IT infrastructure, and AI. Last year, the study received a very positive response from the industry and marked the official launch of the Wow!Banking Community. A number of well-known banks are now part of this community.
Another new feature of the Future Report concerns the survey’s target group. This time, private banks will also be surveyed. According to Prof. Dr. René R. Schleus, private banks are highly relevant to the banking industry as a whole: “Within the German three-pillar system, private banks bring a distinct private-sector perspective. Their inclusion in the Wow!Banking study therefore significantly enhances the study’s validity, as it broadens the empirical basis and enables a more nuanced picture of the future viability of the German banking landscape,” said the expert in market and customer research in the financial sector.
The study’s findings will be presented exclusively in Frankfurt am Main on September 1, 2026. Private banks interested in participating in the study can contact Prof. Dr. René R. Schleus at rene.schleus@fhdw.de for further information regarding the survey.
About Wow!Banking
Wow!Banking is an initiative by industry experts dedicated to strengthening the future viability of the German banking sector and creating a space where change can be actively shaped in the face of increasing international competitive pressure.
To this end, the initiative brings together representatives from the fields of practice, academia, consulting, and technology and, as a community engaged in a collaborative dialogue on an equal footing, develops new ideas and strategies that foster the innovative strength of German banking and prepare the industry for the future in a dynamic environment.
Among other things, the initiative is responsible for publishing the highly acclaimed study “The Future Viability of German Banks” and, through various exchange formats, creates a platform for innovative ideas and insights.
The founding members of Wow!Banking include the European CRM/CX software provider BSI Software, fino digital—a company specializing in Open Finance solutions—the software and consulting firm msg for banking, and G+D Netcetera, a software company specializing in digital solutions for the financial industry.
For more information, visit www.wow-banking.de.