The Big Survey 2025:
Modernising Payments
How are EMEA banks modernising payments in 2025?
Discover what 308 senior banking leaders across 11 countries say about real-time readiness, ISO 20022 adoption, and cloud transformation in our fifth edition of The Big Survey.
Get the full Big Survey 2025 report
Benchmark your bank against your peers across 11 countries—including the UK, Benelux, Nordics, Iberia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Whether you’re just beginning your modernisation journey or accelerating toward real-time, this report offers the insights you need to stay ahead of compliance deadlines and customer expectations.
A pivotal year for European and Middle Eastern banks
From ISO 20022 mandates to instant payment deadlines, 2025 is forcing banks across EMEA to modernise at speed. But where do they really stand? Volante surveyed hundreds of payments decision-makers—from the UK and Nordics to Saudi Arabia and Iberia—to uncover how prepared they are, what’s holding them back, and what they’re investing in to future-proof operations.
The results are in—and they reveal major gaps, bold bets, and a region-wide race to stay compliant and competitive.
Inside the numbers
- 99% of banks are implementing or have recently implemented a new payments solution
- 88% will spend between $500,000 and $5 million on payments modernisation this year
- 52% will launch a payments solution within 6 months
- 58% are taking a hybrid cloud approach to modernisation
- 38% cite vendor selection as their #1 modernisation concern
Video insight
Stay ahead in the evolving payments landscape. Watch our video and explore the Volante Big Survey 2025 to uncover key industry trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the EMEA region. Download the full report today to ensure your bank is ready to lead in payments innovation.
Key findings from The Big Survey 2025
Modernisation is non-negotiable
99% of banks are implementing or have just implemented new payments infrastructure, with urgent timelines to meet 2025 mandates.
Budgets are rising fast
Nearly 9 in 10 banks plan to spend between $500K and $5M this year, with Spain averaging the highest spend in the region.
Cloud is the new normal
58% of banks are using a hybrid cloud approach—offering flexibility without sacrificing control.
ISO 20022 gaps persist
While 73% of Spanish banks are fully compliant, 43% of UK banks are still exploring their options just months before the deadline.