With access to financial transaction data under threat by hurdles imposed by certain financial institutions, it should be up to consumers to decide how their data is used to improve their financial well-being.

Distinct business plans in promising areas such as smart use of consumer data, cybersecurity and content creation, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch commercial banking executive Scott Olmsted. And that is just the beginning of his list.

In the days of diskettes, Quicken was an innovator. Now, the personal financial manager aims to reclaim its glory days as it targets the 35-and-older crowd.

Behavioral biometrics has already stopped several million dollars worth of online banking fraud at National Westminster Bank in London.

Many assume that a smart contract is something totally new. However, banking has used imperfect implementations of smart contracts for at least three decades.

The digital-advice startup SigFig has now teamed up on robo-advisory offerings with Wells Fargo and UBS, while BlackRock's FutureAdvisor has lined up agreements with U.S. Bancorp, BBVA and others.

Refusing to let innovators experiment in a permissive environment keeps regulators in the dark, and ultimately, prevents progress in financial services.

KeyCorp integrated First Niagara just a couple of months after the deal closed. CIO Amy Brady says coordination between business leaders and the tech team paved the way.

Affirm, which has raised $525 million since launching in 2012, would like to expand its services and begin taking deposits.

Mobile phones are only going to become a bigger part of how banks interact with their customers, so several institutions are looking to enhance that experience. They are focusing on better ways of opening accounts, verifying identities, interacting with customers and offering new services and features. Here are some of the improvements announced this year.