2026 Financial Services Marketing and Acquisition Report is LIVE, Highlighting Rising Costs

Debbie, the leading leadgen + loyalty platform for CUs and banks, today announced the release of its 2026 Financial Services Marketing and Acquisition Report, offering new insights into the evolving cost and effectiveness of member acquisition across banks and credit unions.

The report, based on a combination of publicly available data, regulatory filings, and a survey of financial services executives, reveals a rapidly shifting landscape—marked by rising acquisition costs and growing uncertainty among industry leaders.

Key findings from the 2026 report include:

• Member acquisition cost (MAC) increased to $565, continuing its upward trend and putting pressure on growth strategies
• Chime led all institutions in net new account openings in Q3 2025, capturing over 12% market share
• More than one-third of executives surveyed reported not knowing their own acquisition cost, highlighting a significant gap in measurement and strategy

“Financial institutions are spending more than ever to acquire customers, yet many still lack visibility into what those customers actually cost,” said Rachel Lauren, COO of Debbie. “This report is designed to bring clarity to that gap and help teams make smarter, more efficient growth decisions.”

The findings underscore a critical challenge across the industry: while digital channels have expanded reach, they have also introduced fragmentation, making it harder for institutions to track performance and optimize spend.

Debbie’s report also explores emerging trends in digital account opening, channel effectiveness, and the growing importance of measurable ROI in marketing investments.

To read the full report, follow the link:

https://docsend.com/view/49xt5y7b6f7smqt5

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About Debbie
Debbie is on a mission to motivate every American to save and pay off debt, by rewarding the behaviors that have the least instant gratification. Debbie partners with financial institutions to drive new member acquisition and engagement across their products by surfacing best-in-class offers inside its experience, and building loyalty into those products.

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