This past year’s bull market has left many investors and bankers pleasantly surprised, and it has opened up a lot of new ideas and trends for this coming year. The finance industry is one of the most rapidly changing industries, and one of the most lucrative. There are always new regulations and events that shift things, and 2021 was no exception to that rule.

With Covid-19’s acceleration of digitization in the workplace, supply line shortages, and other events, there are some key trends you need to watch. Many financial experts are analyzing the following trends for 2022.

Crypto and Banking

Many banks are starting to offer cryptocurrency investing services in 2022, with more to follow in 2023. 60% of crypto investors say they would hold their crypto in their bank if they could. Only 4% said they wanted to stick to their current crypto exchange.

Many cryptocurrency exchanges are owned by very new companies, and in some cases are not regulated. Many investors will want to store their crypto assets with their banks, and this is something banks will take advantage of.

Overdraft Changes

When you make a purchase using an account that does not have enough funds in it, your bank may allow the transaction to happen anyway. In layman’s terms, the bank is extending a line of credit in order for you to make the purchase.

What comes with this overdraft however, is a pretty hefty charge. In a lot of cases, the charge can even be more than the original purchase. In 2022, many banks are seeking to change their overdraft systems after Ally Bank’s announcement in June of 2021 that they would no longer be charging overdraft fees.

Inflation

By the end of 2021, inflation in the U.S had risen by over 6%. This was the highest rate of inflation since 1982, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition to this, gasoline prices rose by 58%, which was the largest increase in price since 1980.

Scwab doesn’t foresee inflation levels staying this high however, but they do predict them staying above the government’s goal of 2% per year. Inflation is typically fine, as long as it is planned for. Scwab believes this spike in inflation to be an outlier, and that the recent spike in inflation should not be a cause for concern.

AI

Artificial Intelligence has been making headlines recently as development in the field progresses further and further. There are now several instances where AI is being used in the finance industry, where it handles processes such as managing credit risks and other backend processes. Many banks will be implementing AI into their branches in 2022 and the coming years to automate a variety of tasks.

Summary

2021 was a year that forced many changes in our world, and has progressed us toward more digitalization. Cryptocurrency had a great year, and many banks are looking to implement it into their services for the coming year. Also, banks are looking to lower overdraft fees, and are also looking to implement artificial intelligence.