AI is gaining ground in the national financial sector; 79% of multiple banks already use it.
The Dominican financial sector is accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Its use has grown 33 percentage points since 2021, reaching 44% of financial intermediation entities.
The 2026 Dominican Banking Sector Digitalization Ranking, published by the Superintendency of Banks (SB), shows this.
According to the document, AI is mostly used in internal operations, cybersecurity and incident response, and in fraud detection and response.
Currently, 79% of banks use AI agents, as do 40% of savings and loan associations, 36% of savings and credit banks, and 50% of public and mixed intermediation entities.
The study shows that Dominican banking’s digital transformation has reached a more mature stage, characterized not only by the availability of digital channels, but also by their adoption and use.
According to the document, 81% of transactions in the financial system were carried out through digital and physical self-service channels, confirming the dominance of these methods over assisted physical channels. In total, these channels handled more than 529 million transactions without requiring staff assistance.
Currently, 100% of banks offer mobile applications and online banking, while 81% of financial intermediation entities offer both.
Similarly, approximately 5.2 million people actively use mobile banking apps, and more than 2 million access online banking services. This expansion has allowed financial institutions to broaden their range of products and services available entirely remotely, including more complex solutions.
Another key finding was that 67% of those surveyed prefer to conduct their business through digital channels, and that mobile applications lead in perceived security among the available channels, with a rating of 96%.
However, the results show that users still value in-person service for certain operations, especially those involving cash handling, complex procedures, or personalized assistance.
The report also identifies challenges to digital adoption among people over 65, highlighting the need to continue strengthening financial education initiatives and inclusive care strategies.
Methodology
For the 2026 Dominican Banking Sector Digitalization Ranking, the Superintendency collected information on the availability of digital channels through forms and virtual meetings with financial intermediaries. The entities themselves verified the data directly, without modification by the Superintendency of Banks (SB).
To measure demand, the study surveyed users of financial products, both personal and business, through telephone, web, and in-person interviews. The study was carried out in the North, South, and East regions, with a special focus on Santo Domingo and Santiago.
In addition, the study hired an external firm specializing in this area to conduct a heuristic evaluation of the user experience across digital channels. The evaluation included a comprehensive analysis of the flow of five functionalities, using criteria such as ease of use, agility, and simplicity to identify friction points, barriers, or other elements that could negatively impact the user experience.
The ranking used a 100-point scale, considering aspects such as digital functionalities, payments and transfers, level of digitization, usability, user experience, transaction migration, and service adoption.
The current edition incorporates more demanding evaluation criteria, reflecting the sector’s greater digital maturity. Therefore, score variations do not necessarily reflect reduced digitization, but rather a more rigorous measurement of entities’ digital capabilities.
This sixth edition of the Ranking updates its nomenclature, moving from alternative channels to three new categories: digital channels, self-service physical channels, and assisted physical channels.
