Banks 2025: Key sector challenges and the strategic role of law firms
Banks are no longer simply financial institutions, but organizations that simultaneously face multiple challenges: technological, regulatory, economic and social. This is one of the key conclusions of the Banking Forum 2025, the most important annual meeting of the financial industry in Poland.
Banking sector at a crossroads
Participants at this year’s Forum clearly pointed to the unprecedented confluence of challenges facing Polish financial institutions today – geopolitical and regulatory changes, CJEU rulings and legal certainty, the development of artificial intelligence and cyber threats, processes related to energy and technological transition, as well as new investments, the development of the arms industry and financing the growth of the Polish and European economies.
Leading representatives of the banking sector and market experts agreed that 2025 will require banks to be particularly vigilant and responsive in many areas simultaneously. But those who will be able to skillfully approach such problems and seize opportunities with an open mind have a chance to outstrip the pack and become a true leader. And not just in their own backyard.
“Banks must be ready to operate in a demanding macroeconomic environment that directly affects their profitability, credit risk and their ability to finance the economy. At the same time, technological acceleration and transition processes in so many areas are creating entirely new needs, perspectives and markets. This is an exciting time for those institutions that can take advantage of this. And we will be their legal and advisory partner,” – says Piotr Kochański, Managing Partner.
Regulatory tsunami – new regulations changing the rules of the game
Preparing for legal risks, the impact of tax burdens and new regulations were among the main topics that dominated the experts’ discussion.
Indeed, the implementation of the new Consumer Credit Directive is only the tip of the iceberg of changes that await the banking sector.
Banks will have to face:
- Comprehensive review of their procedures and the need to adapt them to new requirements
- Continuous monitoring of prudential standards and capital requirements
- Implementation of increasingly stringent reporting and transparency guidelines
Technological transformation – opportunities and threats
Digitalization of the FinTech sector is accelerating at a rate that is hard to keep pace with today. Polish banks, which, so far, have been market leaders in technology and innovation, have no intention of stepping down from this position. That’s why they are vigilantly keeping their finger on the pulse of change and boldly underlining:
- The need to invest in solutions using responsible artificial intelligence
- Developing mobile banking and implementing cloud solutions
- Ensuring the highest cyber security standards in the face of growing threats
- Balancing innovation with regulatory requirements for data security
ESG challenges – a new dimension of responsibility
As the Forum participants emphasized, ESG standards are evolving from an optional addition to banks’ strategies to a critical component of their operations.
However, this new reality is not without its own challenges, such as:
- Increasing non-financial reporting requirements
- The need to integrate sustainability factors into lending policies
- Alignment with European regulations related to taxonomy and climate disclosures
Managing diversity as part of building a responsible business
The role of law firms – a strategic partner in times of change
“In the face of such complex challenges, working with a specialized law firm becomes not just a support, but a strategic competitive advantage for banks. Lawyers not only help navigate the increasingly complex regulatory environment, hedge against risks and prepare banks for new requirements, or represent their interests with regulators and EU institutions, but are also a partner in digital and sustainable transformation and every other aspect of financial institutions’ operations,” emphasizes Piotr Kochański.
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