New 2026 Consumer Data: Consumers Are Ready for Integrated Financial Services. 80% of Brands Are Not

Money that used to move only through banks is increasingly running through payment apps, digital wallets, brand cards, and in-app features built into how people shop, travel, play, and even manage their health. The brands people already rely on every day, not just their banks, are inching ever closer to owning the customer relationship. 

We surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. consumers and 150 senior leaders at major brands to get the latest data on consumer preferences for integrated financial services, and how brands are meeting that demand.  

The result: the 2026 Galileo Integrated Financial Services Research Report.  

Business leaders told us that integrated financial services - from payments to wallets, rewards and accounts - are no longer side projects; they are core levers for customer acquisition, loyalty, and revenue growth. Consumers shared how they use financial services that are rewarding, simple, and fast, directly within the apps and websites consumers already use. Highlights of the report include: 

Lifestyle banking is built on debit 

Consumers are living in a “lifestyle banking” world, where traditional bank accounts sit alongside a growing mix of branded financial tools. Instead of relying on a single primary provider, people are building their own money stack: a debit account here, a rewards card there, all linked through digital wallets and routed through the apps and brands they use most. 

• 60% of consumers use a bank or credit union debit account, and 50% use a bank credit account. 

• 60% use payment apps, 21% use prepaid products, and 18% use buy now, pay later (BNPL). 

• 24% hold a brand rewards credit card, showing rising comfort with brand‑linked financial experiences. 

Everyday spending tells the same story. 

• For day‑to‑day purchases, 34% primarily use bank debit, 23% bank credit, 17% payment apps, 9% secured credit, and 6% prepaid. 

Rather than replacing banks outright, brand ecosystems are becoming the front door to everyday money moments, especially when those ecosystems make it easy to pay, get paid, and earn rewards in one place. The core account may still sit at a bank, but the experience layer is increasingly owned by brands that can blend utility, rewards, and context in a single app. 

Digital wallets are accelerating that shift by centralizing financial activity inside nonbank apps. What started as a faster way to check out has quickly turned into a place where balances, rewards, and refunds sync. 

• 41% of consumers have used a digital wallet in a shopping, travel, or food‑delivery app. 

• 32% have stored a card; 21% have used one‑tap checkout. 

• 27% have used reward points to pay at checkout; 18% have accepted an instant refund. 

When that much activity moves into brand environments, it creates a natural runway for integrated payouts, refunds, and payroll linked accounts that increase engagement and payment volume per customer. 

All brands are saying yes to integrated financial services, but 80% are still stuck in planning mode 

On the supply side, brands increasingly see financial experiences as part of their core product, not an add‑on. The question for many teams is no longer “if” they should launch integrated financial services, it’s a matter of how quickly they can go to market without overextending their risk appetite and operations. 

• 100% of brands surveyed have launched or plan to launch integrated financial services within 12–18 months. 

• 20% are already live; 80% are still in planning mode. 

• 28% say they are in “crisis mode” and must launch as soon as possible; 27% report “high urgency” to launch. 

These programs are wired to core business goals. 

• Executives define success as attracting new customers (38%), increasing core product sales (27%), generating ancillary revenue (21%), and retaining existing customers (14%). 

Competitive pressure is pushing leaders to move faster. For many brands, seeing a peer or major rival roll out a card, wallet, or payout solution forces a strategic decision: either respond with their own integrated offering or risk watching customers and revenue walk away. 

• 80% are motivated by a major competitor integrating financial services. 

• 79% cite a broader strategic shift in the business model. 

• 70% are reacting to churn toward competitors with stronger integrated offerings. 

Co‑branded cards and wallets sit at the heart of these roadmaps. These programs give brands a way to live in the customer’s pocket every day, not just at the moment of purchase. 

• 71% plan to launch co‑branded credit; 21% plan co‑branded debit. 

• 49% expect to bundle cards with digital wallets; 48% with loyalty programs. 

• 37% plan BNPL or installment lending; 18% plan loan or insurance disbursements. 

• On average, brands plan just over three integrated financial services each, signaling a multi‑product roadmap, not a one‑off test. 

Everyday consumer behavior shows brands where to build 

The report also outlines where integrated financial services can have the biggest impact. Everyday spend is steadily moving into brand environments as customers chase value, rewards, and convenience. Payment choice is no longer just about which card is in the physical wallet. True payments choice comes down to which app makes each transaction feel easiest and most rewarding. 

• Roughly a quarter of primary payment activity has already shifted into payment apps and digital wallets inside brand environments. 

Economic pressure is amplifying this shift and driving active switching. Customers are scrutinizing every line of their budget and are willing to change how and where they pay if it helps them stretch their money further. 

• In the past six months, 40% cut back on eating out, 34% switched to cheaper stores or brands, 32% used credit cards more often, and 31% used coupons more often. 

• 27% bought smaller sizes or fewer items; 22% shopped where rewards were better. 

• 24% switched payment methods in the last year due to rising prices; 21% switched to a card with better rewards; 19% changed behavior when rewards got worse; 15% switched when a store made it easier to pay; 10% started using BNPL. 

The takeaway: Flexibility, rewards, and ease of payment are now deciding where customers spend, and who they stay loyal to. Integrated financial products that meet customers where they are well positioned to catch that switching behavior and redirect more wallet share into brand ecosystems. Is your brand ready?  

Want to explore the research in full? Access the full Galileo Integrated Financial Services Research Report to see the data, understand where peers are investing, and identify the steps to launch and scale integrated financial services.