Annual Trends Report: Recap of 2025 and Predictions for 2026

In the Totavi Annual Trends Report: Recap of 2025 and Predictions for 2026, we highlight the most significant product launches, partnerships, and acquisitions of 2025 and hypothesize on how these events may have laid the foundation for major disruptions and innovation in 2026. We list five major predictions for 2026, and each prediction is paired with a Totavi Wishlist item, which is a tool or product that our team hopes will be created in the near future. They’re also meant to serve as inspiration for fintech innovators. If you’re building, scaling, or advising in the U.S., our analysis offers a clear snapshot of where the fintech market is headed. We’ve packed the report with actionable insights and data-backed research to help you move forward with clarity and conviction.

A preview: 2025’s three forces and 2026’s predictions

Three forces reshaped the card in 2025. Institutional finance finally embraced crypto: stablecoins settled roughly $15.6 trillion (neck-and-neck with Visa’s annual volume) as the GENIUS Act passed and issuer-processors made stablecoin-backed cards easy to launch. The economy pushed challenger credit into the spotlight: household debt rose $197 billion in Q3 2025 and the average FICO score slipped to 715, its fastest decline since 2009. And loyalty became a luxury: the average consumer now belongs to about 17 loyalty programs, and 62% of Gen Z check for a cheaper alternative before buying.

Our five predictions for 2026:

1. More crypto, specifically stablecoins: with 1 in 5 Americans owning crypto and 39% already using it to pay, exchanges are poised to become full financial ecosystems.
2. Mortgage providers will offer HELOC cards: ~55% of homeowners hold a sub-4% mortgage they won’t refinance, yet still carry borrowable equity; HELOC cards average ~11% APR versus ~24% on a typical credit card.
3. Ultra-personalized rewards become the norm: AI tailoring rewards to who you are and what you’re working toward, not just merchant category codes.
4. Fintechs fill the credit gap for freelancers: a workforce projected to reach 90 million by 2028, still underserved by W-2-based underwriting.
5. Super apps may emerge as AI assistants: the wrapper that finally makes embedded finance click in the U.S.

Each prediction is paired with a Totavi Wishlist concept, a product we’d love to see built. Download the full report for free.