The financial messaging market, without the spin.
ISO 20022 migration may be complete. Payments modernization is not.
Most banks achieved compliance. Far fewer achieved transformation.
We asked for an honest picture of how banks are navigating legacy infrastructure, real-time payments, cloud adoption, AI, operational resiliency, and vendor strategy in a post-ISO 20022 world. This is what the data shows.
Why this research matters
Post-ISO 20022, banks are facing a new reality: compliance alone is no longer enough.
As real-time payment volumes rise and cross-border expectations accelerate, many institutions are discovering that the infrastructure used to achieve migration was never designed for the operational demands that come next.
Datos Insights, an independent research and advisory firm focused on banking and payments, evaluated the current state of the financial messaging market across eight vendors and more than 2,000 client implementations.
The research uncovers where institutions are succeeding, where operational challenges remain, and what separates tactical compliance from long-term modernization strategy.
The result is a grounded view of where the market is heading, where institutions are struggling, and what leading banks are doing differently.
What the research found
- ISO compliance did not solve the modernization problem.
- Most banks chose translation over transformation.
- AI in financial messaging is still more promise than practice.
- Vendor switching is rare, making platform decisions more important than ever.
- Real-time payments are exposing the limits of legacy infrastructure.
The next phase of payments modernization is already underway
The question is whether existing infrastructure is ready for it.
Volante works with banks globally to modernize payment infrastructure, simplify connectivity, and support real-time payment transformation.
Want to discuss what the findings mean for your institution?
Connect with the Volante team for a practical conversation around modernization, real-time readiness, and post-ISO strategy.
Related resources
Payments as a Service: The fast track to payments modernization
Volante + Accenture: Payments Modernization 3.0
Why it’s time to modernize your ACH operations
A modernization imperative: the evolution of Payments as a Service
Case studies
Case study: Switzerland ISO 20022 modernization
Future-proofing banking with Payments as a Service