The industry of credit The year 2026 will arrive in a more dynamic and demanding scenario, where operational agility and analytical precision will be crucial. As funding expands, there is an increase in risk, new digital threats and an acceleration in data sharing, forcing us to rethink models, processes and controls.
In Argentina, the sector recorded sustained growth: the financing balance was reached $11 billion in July 2025 and cumulative 16 months of real expansion, according to the BCRA. However, this progress comes with a deterioration in the quality of the portfolio: more than 11.2 million debtors and an average irregularity of 16.2%, more than double the level at the beginning of the year. The key challenge will be to manage this volatility without restricting access to credit.
Loans remained stagnant in October and the market is entering a cautious phase
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Such a dilemma represents one of the biggest challenges for the next year, as it requires managing variability without restricting access to credit. Achieving this requires a comprehensive approach across three key dimensions: generative AI and Cybersecurity; integrated analytics and agile risk management; and open finance.
First, the proliferation of hyperrealistic content and synthetic identities is straining authentication processes, making advanced fraud detection mechanisms, live biometrics and multi-factor validation essential. Added to this is a fragmented regulatory scenario at the global level, forcing companies to strengthen their own governance and traceability frameworks.
Cybersecurity rounds out this agenda. The massive data leaks and the expansion of digital payments – which would account for nearly 80% of global e-commerce by 2030, according to Worldpay’s Global Payments Report – are increasing the attack surface. Given this scenario, international security standards and supplier audits are essential to avoid vulnerabilities that can quickly escalate.
By 21.2030 the digital payments They would account for almost 80% of global electronic commerce
The second challenge is agile risk management based on integrated analyses. He Increase in arrearsparticularly in the fintech ecosystem, is driving the integration of analytics into platforms and the introduction of more flexible decision engines capable of adjusting risk policies in real time, simulating scenarios and anticipating deviations.
In unstable markets, the speed of reaction becomes a structural factor for credit sustainability.
The third challenge arises from the consolidation of open finance and the new data exchange systems. Regional experience shows that these models only scale with clear regulatory frameworks. In parallel, digital wallets are emerging as repositories of important information to create more accurate reviews, personalized products and dynamic tariff systems, always under strict standards of consent and consumer protection.
Looking ahead to 2026, the lending industry will operate in a more exposed and complex environment. The capacity of Anticipate risksAdapting models and making decisions based on data will be the difference that defines the sustainability of the company.
*Director of SIISA, a technology company and office focused on the financial lending market
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