Financial services market research
Financial services market research that reflects how people really decide
Financial services market research is how banks, fintechs, insurers and wealth managers understand how people really think about money, trust and risk, and turn it into confident decisions. It spans brand tracking, customer needs, switching and loyalty, pricing, UX and proposition testing, built around the emotional, high-stakes nature of financial choices. Basis runs it across the US, UK and globally.
The stigma around money has gone. From salary transparency on TikTok to pensions discussed in group chats, financial decisions now happen in public, and that has changed how people choose providers, compare products and judge performance.
Trust might win customers. Empowerment keeps them.
The rules of financial services have changed. There are 26,000 fintech start-ups worldwide. Payments are instant, contactless, invisible. Biometric logins feel safer than pins. And anyone with a phone can start a pension, build credit or buy now, pay later.
That pace has changed how people pay, and how they think. Trust is still essential, but now it’s just the starting point. Customers want smarter tools, faster journeys, and brands that help them move forward.
So research needs to move too. Brand tracking, UX testing and proposition development still matter, but only when they’re timely, connected and built for action. At Basis, we use AI, big data and behavioral insight to uncover how people really think, feel and act around money, and track the cultural shifts, category dynamics and competitor signals that show where to focus.
What great financial services research delivers
Financial decisions are emotional, complex and high stakes, shaped by far more than product features or price points. The job of research is to cut through that, reveal what drives real choices, and help teams move quickly and with purpose.
We help financial services brands:
- Track brand health, relevance and trust over time
- Understand customer needs across banking, lending, insurance and wealth
- Identify switching triggers, loyalty levers and moments of hesitation
- Map journeys across digital, mobile and in-branch channels
- Test pricing, proposition and product strategies for banks, fintechs and credit providers
- Build customer segmentations grounded in financial mindset and behavior
- Refine messaging, creative and comms to land with clarity and credibility
- Run global and multi-market programs, blending AI, big data and in-the-moment qual to explore new white space and emerging Gen Z preferences
How a financial services study comes together
Work with Basis and you get a true partner: collaborative, curious and commercially focused. We never open with “what do you want to know?” We start with what you’re trying to achieve.
Then we design the approach that gets you there. That might mean blending behavioral insight with psychological depth, testing propositions fast, or mapping customer journeys across digital and in-branch. We stay close throughout, working as an extension of your team, challenging assumptions and making sure the insight lands in the right room with the right impact.
Our work is led by senior consultants who’ve spent decades solving hard problems for the biggest names in banking, fintech, insurance and investment. We know what good looks like, and we’re not afraid to challenge the thinking that’s holding your strategy back. That’s why our clients put us in front of their CEO.
Financial services market research FAQ
What is financial services market research?
Financial services market research helps banks, fintechs, insurers and wealth managers understand how customers think about money, trust and risk. It covers brand performance, customer needs, switching behavior, pricing, UX and proposition development, with research designed around the emotional and high-stakes nature of financial decisions. Basis runs it across the US, UK and globally.
Why is market research important in financial services?
Financial decisions are rarely purely rational. They are shaped by trust, anxiety, past experience and cultural attitude. Research helps financial services brands understand what customers actually want, where they hesitate, and how to build the kind of credibility that converts and retains. In a crowded market, instinct isn’t enough.
What research does Basis conduct for financial services brands?
Basis works across brand tracking, customer segmentation, UX and journey mapping, pricing and proposition testing, message and campaign development, and AI-powered landscaping, for fintech and traditional financial services brands. Every project is scoped around the specific challenge rather than a fixed template.
How is financial services research different from other sectors?
Trust and credibility carry more weight in financial services than almost any other category. Customers are making consequential decisions, so research needs to account for emotional drivers, regulatory context and the friction points that stop people engaging. Basis combines behavioral insight, cultural understanding and advanced analytics to get past surface-level responses.
How has consumer behavior in financial services changed?
The cultural shift around money has been significant. From salary transparency on social media to pensions discussed in group chats, financial decisions are increasingly public. Gen Z in particular expects smarter tools, smoother journeys and brands that help them move forward, not just protect them. Trust remains essential, but it’s no longer enough on its own.
Can Basis help with fintech research as well as traditional banking?
Yes. Basis works across retail banking, fintech, insurance, credit and wealth management. Whether you’re testing a new app proposition, mapping customer journeys or pressure-testing a rebrand, research is shaped around your specific challenge and audience.
Which markets can Basis run financial services research in?
Basis runs financial services market research in the US, the UK and globally from a single team, rather than stitching together separate local suppliers. That means consistent method and comparable results across markets, with local nuance where it matters, across retail banking, fintech, insurance, credit and wealth.
Financial services research in action
Navigating a high-stakes brand moment
A leading financial services brand used a smarter, faster tracking framework, blending longitudinal data, real-time sentiment and AI, to steer a high-stakes brand restage in real time and move with confidence.
Learn more →
Smarter strategy, faster growth
We helped Sage put customers at the heart of their biggest business decisions, turning research into real commercial impact and award-winning recognition along the way.
Learn more →Let’s rethink what financial insight can do
Strategy only works when the insight behind it is sharp. We help financial services brands move faster, think smarter and stay ahead.
Featured insights
Tools, guides, and fresh perspectives to help you decode behavior and drive smarter strategy.
