Recognizing 10 Groundbreaking Innovations in Financial Services
We’re thrilled to announce that American Banker’s new Innovation of the Year 2025 awards will debut during DIGITAL BANKING in Boca Raton, June 1-4, 2025.
Building on the success of American Banker’s previous awards, this enhanced program spotlights the most impactful and collaborative innovations shaping the future of financial services.
About the Awards
- 10 Honorees will be recognized as the top innovations of 2024, culminating in the announcement of one overall Innovation of the Year.
- Celebrations will take place at a special awards gala during the Digital Banking Conference, where the honorees and their teams will be showcased and celebrated during DIGITAL BANKING.
- Award recipients will also gain widespread recognition through American Banker’s print magazine, website, and social media channels.
We want to celebrate pioneering solutions that are driving real business impact and redefining what’s possible in banking and financial services. Innovations can be new products, services, tools, technologies, or projects—anything that launched in 2024 and has delivered meaningful improvements in:
- Revenue growth and ROI
- Operational efficiency
- Customer acquisition or retention
- Competitive positioning
- Expanding market reach or driving digital transformation
We welcome submissions in (but not limited to) the following areas:
- Digital + Mobile-First Banking
- Open Banking + Open Finance
- Regulation + Compliance + Risk Management
- Artificial Intelligence + Cloud Computing
- Embedded Finance
- Payments
- Banking-as-a-Service
- Cybersecurity + Fraud
- Other Innovations outside the above categories
Eligibility
Who Can Apply
- Banks, financial institutions, neobanks/challenger banks (with bank charters or licenses), B2B fintechs and crypto/blockchain companies (with bank charters or licenses).
- Partner firms such as fintechs, tech vendors, agencies, law firms, venture or private equity funds may co-submit along with the bank or financial institution.
Launch Date
- The innovation must have been introduced to the market in the calendar year 2024.
Geography
- Open to U.S.-based and international organizations that have launched the innovation in the U.S. market.
Nominations
- While nominations are encouraged, our editorial team will also independently review deserving innovations.
American Banker’s editorial team will review nominations and select the innovations to be recognized based on the return on investment, revenue growth, or other measurable impacts or benefits, and whether it creates a new paradigm or broadly influences the market.
- Complete the Online Submission Form by April 16, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET).
- Provide specific data and metrics demonstrating the innovation’s measurable impact, such as revenue growth, efficiency gains, or market influence.
- Identify key contributors—including partner firms—who were instrumental in bringing the innovation to life.
There is no limit on the number of individuals who contributed to the project, but only the project leader and up to four additional colleagues or partners will be recognized by name.
- Submission Deadline
April 16, 2025
- Finalists Announced
May 2025
- Winners Honored
During DIGITAL BANKING in Boca Raton, June 1-4, 2025
Why Submit a Nomination?
High-Profile Recognition: Gain visibility across American Banker’s platforms—print, online, and social media.
Industry Validation: Highlight your organization’s innovation achievements to peers, customers, and potential partners or investors.
Exclusive Celebration: Network and share your success story at the Digital Banking Conference’s awards gala, where the overall Innovation of the Year winner will be named.
