Digital, Innovation, Payments
Rethinking bank relevance in a new wave of digital banking
Published on 27 January 2026
Banks are not becoming irrelevant, but the way they remain relevant is evolving. This was a clear conclusion from the panel “Rethinking relevance in a new wave of digital banking” held during The Banking Scene Conference Luxembourg.
Summary
Key themes raised during the discussion
Discussions confirmed that relevance in banking is increasingly expressed through a combination of trust, fairness and collective resilience:
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A level playing field remains essential
Participants raised concerns about regulatory asymmetries between traditional banks and new fintech actors. The challenge is not simply innovation speed, but ensuring long-term sustainability, accountability and trust across the ecosystem. -
Trust is built when it matters most
Banking relevance no longer comes from physical proximity, but from reliability, availability and clarity in critical moments such as fraud incidents, disputes or major life events. Human expertise remains a decisive differentiator when confidence is at stake. -
Fraud prevention is becoming a collective priority
With faster payments also comes faster fraud. Individual initiatives at bank level are no longer sufficient. The panel highlighted the growing need for shared intelligence, cross-sector cooperation and strong governance involving banks, regulators, telecom operators and public stakeholders.
ABBL engagement on trust and fraud prevention
These discussions also echo ABBL’s ongoing engagement in strengthening digital trust in Luxembourg, including its support for the national cyberfraud.lu awareness campaign, which provides practical resources for institutions, businesses and citizens.
Arnaud Clément
Head of Payments and Innovation, ABBL
Published on 27 January 2026