Where New Business Models Take Flight – Digital Currencies, Part 3

Agentic banking could unlock $23 trillion – is your bank ready to take advantage?

An estimated $23 trillion is trapped in zero- and low-interest accounts because of customer inertia, says McKinsey. Despite conventional wisdom on brand loyalty, customers aren’t staying because they choose to, but because the inconvenience of moving for a few percentage points isn’t worth it. 

The rise of frictionless agentic AI banking solutions will remove this barrier. Agentic banking uses autonomous AI agents to execute banking operations without human intervention at every step. 

As a result, one of the largest pools of dormant value in consumer finance is about to become liquid – but banks need to adapt to access it.

Banks have spent decades optimizing for human customers. In the agentic era they’ll also need to optimize for AI agents. The stakes are high and the organizations that win won’t necessarily be the biggest brand names or the most trusted, but the most discoverable and transactable. Banks that reinvent service models will be best placed to capture customer value.

In this brave new world, brand recognition and loyalty mean far less than having a bank that’s built for automated agents as well as customers.

Why deposits are sticky – and how that’s changing

When it comes to deposits, customers don’t want to shift. It’s easy to make assumptions, but the causes of deposit inertia are complex.

Most Europeans save money in cash or bundled bank savings accounts. The average European saves 14.4% of their income each year. 

However, the majority of European customers stick with one finance provider, despite the fact that it can take just a few minutes to sign up for a high-interest account online. While UK customers are more likely to move their money, 73% of European customers hadn’t changed their primary bank in five years. 

Deposits are often left where they’re earning nothing because moving accounts and providers is a pain they can do without.

A lack of confidence is an issue too, with a Eurobarometer survey finding that just 18% of EU citizens have a high level of financial literacy. Women, younger people and those with less education are the most likely to lack financial knowledge, Eurobarometer warns.

Moving money can attract costs and implications, with many customers unwilling to move cash for higher interest rates. (Even though an estimated one-in-four savers don’t know the rate they’re getting.)

The reality is that sticky deposits aren’t a problem for legacy finance providers who can pay out low interest rates. Customers are getting a bad deal, but with AI giving power back to customers, this will all change.

While it’s true that trust in AI in financial services is starting from a low point – it’s rapidly increasing as AI systems become more advanced, intuitive and “human”. 

The most recent EY Global AI Sentiment Survey found that 49% of consumers have used AI to support their savings and investment decisions. Almost a quarter (21%) asked AI for advice on financial product recommendations – which reflects a growing trust in technology, EY concludes.

We’re entering what McKinsey describes as the “agentic era” where individuals – and investors – give control to automated agents. We won’t simply ask AI for financial advice. Instead, we’ll entrust it to make decisions – and move real money – on our behalf. 

What may take a customer hours can take an AI agent seconds, with no costs, implications or issues for the customer. Agentic banking is fast and frictionless.

Impact of agentic control on banks, customers and cash

AI agents, empowered by customers to manage transitions, don’t need to research, compare, or fill out endless forms – they act. New innovations in agentic banking will likely break investor inertia, making trillions of dollars in deposits “contestable” for the first time at scale. 

This is the core benefit of agentic banking systems to customers –  and the biggest challenge to banks.

The customer experience

Agentic banking systems make decisions and act with minimal human input. 

A customer can entrust financial decisions to an agentic banking system, which can identify the optimal account for deposits and, crucially, move the money there. It can match their preferences, open the account, verify it and transfer funds automatically.

Agentic banking solutions are more advanced than chatbots or commercial AI front ends. The system operates within defined autonomy limits (often described as guardrails) that provide customer control and increase confidence.

The banking challenge

The evidence shows that inertia – not loyalty – has historically kept low-cost deposits in place. AI agents acting on customers’ behalf remove that inertia, which makes deposits “contestable” for the first time at scale. 

As we enter the agentic age, the most successful banks will be those that are the most discoverable and transactable to automated agents.

Unpacking the technology

In the emerging agentic banking era, it’s vital that financial institutions become discoverable and transactable to AI. 

Today’s digital banking channels are all built for humans, not optimized for agents. Agentic banking systems search for structured, machine-readable information that enables them to compare products, verify eligibility, open accounts and transfer funds automatically.

Banks need to ensure products are discoverable – and it starts with agentic AI banking infrastructure. 

AI agents must be able to easily access product information, pricing, eligibility rules and features. Information must be simple to find and structured, displayed in machine-readable formats.

Once an agent has made a decision, banks must ensure they’re transactable – enabling the system to securely open an account, verify eligibility, move funds and make payments – all within the permissions granted by the customer.

Essential APIs

How is this possible? In the agentic age, businesses need a modern banking architecture that uses APIs and automated workflows to enable agents to operate seamlessly.

Contemporary banking platforms are built on an API-first model, giving AI agents access to products and services securely. Instead of forcing agents through complex customer journeys, APIs unlock the underlying banking capabilities making them available as machine accessible services.

Such systems empower agents to open accounts, verify the customer’s identity, initiate payments and move deposits. This is all achieved without unnecessary manual intervention or fragmented workflows.

To be successful, agentic banking solutions must be seamless. API-first agentic banking solutions remove barriers, breaking deposits free from inertia.

This doesn’t mean banks can forget about the customer experience. These journeys still need to be created, considered and tested but that’s one alongside optimizing access for agentic banking solutions.

Benefits of building an AI bank

As agentic banking systems become an important interface between customers and financial institutions, banks need to rethink what they’re building for – and how their banks are built.

To unlock the benefits – and access the potential capital unlocked by automated-agents – banks need infrastructure designed for real-time intelligence, automation and continuous integration.

Simplifying the customer journey

Legacy banking systems aren’t designed for autonomous agents executing real-time decisions. Complex customer journeys, fragmented data and manual processes can all put the brakes on agentic banking systems.

Cloud-native, API-first core banking platforms make banking capabilities accessible to AI. Advanced core banking platforms can increase discoverability and transactability, enabling AI agents to execute transactions in seconds. 

New product development

The rise of agentic AI banking is likely to be accompanied by the development of new, niche products to cater for customers and agents. In the past, launching a new financial product could take years. Today, it can be achieved in minutes.

Modern banking platforms empower organizations to develop, launch and integrate new products into emerging AI ecosystems faster than ever before. Core banking systems also provide the scale banks need to manage growing demand with confidence.

Progressive modernization

Modular architectures enable banks to modernize progressively, building new capabilities as required. There’s no requirement for high-stakes, high-risk core replacement programs. 

The open API structure allows financial providers to develop and adapt their businesses to changing customer needs without the need to rebuild the technology stack each time.

Increased governance and control

AI-ready banking platforms include configurable guardrails, auditable decision-making, permission controls and secure orchestration between AI agents and core banking services – providing stronger governance and control.

These functionalities are included in the core banking solution, giving operators confidence that they can automate more complex financial journeys while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Want to learn more about the benefits of agentic banking?

As we enter the agentic AI banking age, the institutions that invest in a modern core banking solution today will be best positioned for a future where AI agents become a major acquisition channel. 

Tuum’s core banking solution is built for the future. With its cloud-native, API-first architecture, Tuum enables banks to modernize incrementally, while exposing the services, workflows and integrations that AI agents need to discover products, execute transactions and deliver autonomous banking experiences.

See how Tuum’s advanced agentic banking platform works.

FAQs

Why are deposits sticky – and how can AI help to release them?

Deposits remain sticky largely due to customer inertia. There are several reasons why, with many people finding the process of researching and switching financial providers inconvenient or time-consuming. Some investors lack the confidence or financial literacy to do so. Agentic AI banking addresses this by using autonomous agents to perform these tasks on the customer’s behalf. Agents can instantly search for products, compare options, verify eligibility, and execute transfers. It’s stress free investment that’s fast and frictionless.

What is agentic AI banking?

Agentic AI banking uses autonomous AI agents that execute banking operations without requiring customer intervention at every step. Agents act on behalf of the customer (with their permission), within established guardrails to identify the most suitable deposit accounts, manage eligibility checks, open new accounts, and transfer funds automatically. 

How can my bank enable agentic banking?

To enable agentic banking, financial institutions need to become both “discoverable” and “transactable” to AI systems. This requires a modern, API-first, and cloud-native banking architecture. Banks need to ensure all data is accessible and customer journeys are optimized for both humans and automated agents. Core banking capabilities, including account opening, identity verification, and payment initiation, should be accessible through secure APIs. Doing so enables AI agents to execute actions without human intervention.

Part 3 of Tuum’s Digital Currency Series 

In Part 1, we explored how digital currencies like CBDCs, tokenised deposits, and stablecoins are moving from concept to real-world pilots. In Part 2, we looked at why core flexibility and multi-asset readiness are critical for banks to keep up with a fast-evolving digital money landscape. 

Now in Part 3, the focus shifts to the opportunity side of the equation: what new business models become possible when your infrastructure no longer holds you back? 

Because once digital currencies are supported natively in your core, you’re not just preparing for future compliance or functionality. You’re unlocking entirely new ways to deliver value, serve new markets, and generate revenue. 

Embedded Treasury: Real-Time Liquidity at the Point of Need 

Corporate treasury is evolving fast. Businesses want to manage liquidity, FX, and settlements in real time, directly from the platforms they already use, whether that’s ERP systems, e-commerce checkouts, or global payroll engines. 

Tokenised deposits and stablecoins can support real-time funding and reconciliation, but only if the bank’s core system can: 

• Natively handle both fiat and digital currencies 

• Reconcile balances across asset types in real time 

• ​​​Enforce controls such as limits, access rights, and authorisations at the transaction layer​​​​​​ 

​​​Tuum makes this possible through a flexible account model that supports multiple currencies and real-time reconciliation. Safeguards like access controls, posting rules, and balance checks are enforced at the core. Virtual accounts simplify reconciliation, while correspondent and nostro structures manage liquidity across settlement schemes. Combined with orchestration and external compliance integration, banks can embed treasury functionality into third-party platforms, without replicating legacy infrastructure.​​  

BaaS for Digital Currencies: Enabling New Entrants and New Rails 

​​​As tokenised money gains traction, fintechs and platforms are building services around stablecoins, e-money, and CBDC-compatible wallets, without becoming traditional banks.​​ 

​​Delivering​ regulated services with digital currencies requires more than APIs. It demands a core platform that can manage multiple currencies, comply with multiple regimes, and operate at scale. 

Tuum’s modular, multi-tenant architecture is designed to support these use cases. Banks and BaaS providers can operate new brands, geographies, or customer segments from a single core instance, while coexisting with legacy infrastructure ​when needed.​ 

​​​While digital currencies inherently reside on the blockchain, Tuum reflects these assets within its core ledger rather than ​​​​​​​​duplicating them​​. This approach minimizes the need for complex bolt-on systems and ensures seamless integration with existing services.​​ 

FX-as-a-Service: Turning Tokenised Liquidity into Revenue  

Cross-border payments are ripe for disruption. Tokenised currencies and stablecoins provide faster and cheaper options compared to traditional FX and correspondent banking networks, particularly when combined with programmable logic and automated settlement. 

We’re now seeing a shift toward FX-as-a-Service, where institutions: 

• Price and convert currencies on demand, including digital pairs 

• Settle in near real-time using tokenised money 

• Route flows through both traditional and digital rails 

​​​Tuum supports dynamic FX logic between any asset pair—fiat or tokenised. Pricing can be ​​​​​​margin based or fee based​​ depending on the model.  ​​Settlement and asset handling are real-time and streamlined through Tuum’s ledger architecture. Combined with orchestration and compliance tooling, banks can move beyond batch processing to offer flexible, revenue-generating FX services at scale.​​​​  

Wallet-Based Banking for Global Platforms  

Digital wallets are increasingly becoming the main interface for financial services. Global marketplaces, gig platforms, and creators’ networks aim to integrate financial features such as multi-currency accounts, instant payouts, and programmable rules​, all embedded into​ their ecosystems. 

​​​To enable this, banks need infrastructure that supports:​​ 

• Multi-asset wallets (fiat and digital) 

• Real-time interest, limits, and KYC/AML compliance 

• Integration into broader finance and partner ecosystems 

Zenus Bank, powered by Tuum, is a clear example of this shift. It offers wallet-based banking, embedded accounts, and cross-border services to customers in over 150 countries. This is not a test or a pilot, it’s a production-grade infrastructure bank built on a modern core. 

Digital Asset Rails for Commercial Banks 

​​​N​​ew networks for tokenised deposits, wholesale CBDCs, and asset-backed rails​ are emerging.​ ​C​ommercial banks must connect and operate across them. 

Legacy cores can’t support this shift. They lack the flexibility to model digital assets, integrate with blockchain infrastructure, or apply compliance rules across multiple asset types. 

Tuum enables banks to: 

• Model digital currencies as native ledger assets 

• Connect to external platforms through orchestration APIs 

• Monitor, report, and control across fiat and digital currencies 

This ​lets​ banks plug into the future without disrupting the present. They can launch digital currency use cases while maintaining consistency across compliance, customer experience, and operational processes. 

Final Thought: Digital Currencies Aren’t Just About Technology  

Across the industry, live use cases are emerging. Institutions are settling dollar payments around the clock. Wallets are enabling banking features within global platforms. Cross-border FX is becoming programmable. 

The shift is already underway. But while others are still testing and piloting, Tuum gives banks the ability to operate these models at scale. 

Digital currencies are not just a new asset class; they serve as a catalyst for innovative business models. From embedded treasury and FX-as-a-Service to wallet-based banking and embedded compliance, the opportunity is real. 

Tuum is the core that enables these models. Built for fiat and digital currency, prepared for real-world growth. 

Want to explore how your core system can support digital currencies and multi-asset banking? Get in touch.