Gritty Insights

Where bank, credit union and fintech leaders turn for unbiased, data-driven analyses, and perspectives.

Featured Insights

Cornerstone Advisors - WGOIB 2026 - Cover with Shadow 2

What's Going On in Banking 2026: AI, Crypto, and Fraud—Oh My!

Authored by Cornerstone Advisors Chief Research Officer Ron Shevlin, this comprehensive report takes a clear look at what is real, what is hype, and what requires action now. The 2026 study examines how financial institutions are responding to new challenges, including operationalizing AI, managing escalating fraud risk, deciding what to do about crypto and tokenization, and closing the widening gap between technology plans and execution. Download the report to see how more than 400 forward-thinking banks and credit unions are approaching growth, technology investment, and competition in 2026.

Download the Report

Cornerstone Advisors Events and Webinars - Whats Going On in Banking 2026

Webinar: What's Going On in Banking 2026

Join Chief Research Officer Ron Shevlin and CEO & Founding Partner Steve Williams for What’s Going On in Banking 2026: AI, Crypto, and Fraud—Oh My! to learn how more than 400 forward-thinking banks and credit unions are responding to the forces reshaping the industry.

Watch the Webinar

Cornerstone Advisors Events - AI Webinar 2025 - 2.0

From Hype to Impact: Untangling AI’s Role in the Smarter Bank

Join Cornerstone’s Tony DeSanctis and a panel of experts for a look at how AI is really transforming banking—from customer experience and automation to risk, lending, and payments.

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Cornerstone Advisors - Vendor Management Whitepaper 2024 - Cover Image 1.1

Vendor Management: How Banks and Credit Unions Can Gain a Competitive Edge

In this whitepaper, learn how effective vendor management can transform your organization by helping you reduce expenses, control risk, increase agility and boost efficiency.

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Cornerstone Advisors Plugged In - The Lessons of 24 - Additional Resources Image

Not Your Typical Q1 Outlook

Plugged In | They’re back. Al and Steve kick off the year by discussing the biggest forces shaping banking right now, including something particularly challenging: growth. From how banks are allocating capital to how leaders ought to measure results, they unpack what’s working, what isn’t, and preview themes from Ron Shevlin’s upcoming 2026 What’s Going On In Banking report.

Listen to the Podcast

Cornerstone Advisors GonzoBanker - As Robots Disrupt Tech-01

As Robots Disrupt Tech, Banks Need More Human Gearheads 

How fast things change! Only five years ago, a mantra, issued and abused throughout the media, encouraged workers to “learn to code.” As the mobile/social revolution took root and tech exploded after the COVID crisis, young professionals saw big tech firms with huge signing bonuses and multi-six-figure salaries.

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Research Reports

Financial service industry leaders use Cornerstone’s authoritative research to stay current on market developments. Discover what we offer.

Cornerstone Advisors Gritty Insights - All Research 2025

Research Reports & Guides

Where bank, credit union and fintech leaders turn for unbiased, data-driven analyses, insights and perspectives.

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Cornerstone Advisors Gritty Insights - WGOIB 2025 Report

What's Going On In Banking 2025

The economy is fragile, the interest rate environment isn’t stable, and regulations and compliance remain a burden. But optimism among bankers is as high as it’s been in a decade, and this year’s report sails on calmer seas to explore ways financial institutions and their technology providers can plan for the changes and challenges ahead.

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Executive Education & Roundtables

Level up on the dynamic financial services industry from our pros. Our curriculum includes interactive lectures, case studies, group discussions
and hands-on projects that simulate real-world scenarios.

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GonzoBanker Newsletter & Articles

Cornerstone Advisors’ “alter ego,” GonzoBanker is our blog dispatched along with a good helping of irreverence to more than 10,000 readers around the world. Get a dose of our opinionated take on the technologies, vendors, strategies and anything else we run across in the trenches of the banking industry, delivered to your inbox several times a month.

GonzoBanker

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4 min read

3 Strategic Blind Spots Emerging With AI Adoption

Tristan Green

What community financial institutions may overlook as they begin to scale AI

6 min read

Stablecoins: What Community Banks Need to Know and Do Now

Ron Shevlin

Thanks to the passing of the GENIUS Act last year, stablecoins are a board- or executive team-level topic of discussion in 63% of banks. Nearly 1 in 10 will invest in or deploy stablecoin-related capabilities in 2026. 

Colorful hosts Al Dominick, Steve Williams, Ron Shevlin, Sam Kilmer and Mary Wisniewski take you inside the minds of banking and fintech leaders for the latest in finance and financial technology.

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Webinars

Cornerstone webinars explore the latest industry trends, regulations and technologies and deliver expert guidance to help financial institutions make smart competitive decisions.

Cornerstone Advisors and Frich - Z Hits Different - Website Background

Z Hits Different: How to Better Acquire and Engage a New Generation

Join Cornerstone Editor-at-Large Mary Wisniewski and Frich Co-Founder and CEO Katrin Kaurov in a lively conversation about how Gen Z is thinking about money and what it means for finserv marketers.