KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) has introduced a series of new digital and mobile banking enhancements designed to deliver personalized financial guidance for clients, make saving easier, and strengthen security. The updates reflect how Americans are increasingly engaging with their finances and seeking tools that offer convenience, clarity and guidance.

Citing KeyBank's 2026 Financial Mobility Pulse Poll, the bank noted that nearly two-thirds of Americans manage their spending and saving at least weekly. Even higher-income households are feeling pressure: 26% of earners making $100,000 or more reported daily financial trade-offs, a signal of growing need for accessible, actionable digital support. That level of routine engagement is the backdrop against which banks, including KeyBank, have been building guidance tools directly into their apps and websites rather than leaving clients to track their finances on their own.

Personalized Insights to Help Clients Save and Spend Wisely

KeyBank is rolling out personalized insights for clients enrolled in online and mobile banking. Offered on a phased basis, the enhancements provide real-time transaction categorization, spending visibility and tailored recommendations to help clients better understand and manage their financial behaviors. Because the rollout is phased, the pace at which these features reach the broader client base will be one measure of how quickly the tools move from pilot to everyday use.

Clearer transaction details, including merchant logos, addresses and website information, help clients more easily recognize their deposit account activity. Personalized spending insights based on eligible deposit account activity highlight spending patterns and offer tips that may help clients save. A subscription tracking feature shows recurring charges from deposit accounts in one place, so clients can see their total subscription costs and easily decide which ones to keep or cancel.

"Using digital tools while working with a trusted financial partner can help people navigate uncertainty with greater confidence," said Jordan Olack, Head of Channel Products at KeyBank. "These enhancements are designed to save clients time, strengthen financial habits, and provide practical insights that support smarter spending and saving decisions."

KeyBank clients who piloted the insights offered favorable feedback. "This is an excellent heads up on my monthly expenses," one participant said. "I like how much information is displayed and the way it is displayed. Very easy to read and very informative," another commented. "I appreciate the visual for how much I am overspending and teaching me on where I can cut back," a third added.

Through survey feedback, 83% of KeyBank pilot participants surveyed about the new features described the experience as helpful.

A More Secure Way to Sign In to Online and Mobile Banking

KeyBank clients can now use passkeys to sign in to their accounts on key.com and the KeyBank mobile app. Passkeys are a modern, password-less approach to authentication that makes signing into websites and mobile apps simpler and is designed to help reduce the risk of phishing and stolen passwords. Built on standards-based technology that device makers and major online platforms have increasingly adopted industry-wide, passkeys are moving into mainstream consumer banking as institutions work to cut down on credential-based account attacks.

Instead of relying on traditional passwords, passkeys use cryptographic key pairs stored on a user's device. When a client signs in, their device verifies their identity using a built-in method such as biometrics (fingerprint or facial recognition) or a device PIN, without transmitting sensitive credentials over the internet. Because passkeys do not rely on a traditional password, they are designed to help reduce the risk of phishing and credential theft. For clients, the result is a faster, frictionless sign-in experience.

Faster, Simpler Access to Pay

KeyBank clients can choose to digitally enroll in direct deposit through key.com and the KeyBank mobile app, in partnership with Pinwheel, eliminating paperwork and streamlining setup. Pinwheel specializes in digital direct deposit switching, an example of banks partnering with fintech infrastructure providers to remove routine paperwork from account setup. With direct deposit, clients benefit from:

• Automatic paycheck deposits without trips to the bank
• Funds generally available as soon as the deposit posts to the account (subject to Key's funds availability policy)
• Reduced risk of lost or stolen checks
• Greater protection against fraud tied to paper checks

Clients who use direct deposit may also be eligible for KeyBank Early Pay, which provides automatic access to pay up to two days early for qualifying deposits — a type of feature that has become increasingly common across U.S. consumer banking.

Faster Payments Through Plaid With Added Security Control

KeyBank clients can also choose to link their accounts from other banking institutions for transfers and payments through Plaid. Plaid operates one of the most widely used account-linking networks in consumer finance, making it a common bridge between traditional banks and the broader ecosystem of apps and payment services. Built with security and consumer control in mind, Plaid enables clients to connect their non-KeyBank deposit accounts for payments and monetary transfers.

Combining Digital Convenience With Relationship Banking

KeyBank's digital updates are part of its broader commitment to relationship-based banking, blending intuitive digital tools with in-person expertise. Framing everyday digital features as entry points to a fuller banking relationship reflects a wider industry pattern: as routine tasks move to apps, banks are using those touchpoints to connect clients with broader services and human guidance. Through the Relationship Benefits Digital Client Experience, clients can view and manage their relationship status, access benefits in real time, and unlock services including direct deposit, EasyUp® and Bill Pay.

"A strong relationship with your bank provides more than access to accounts. It delivers confidence and clarity when financial decisions matter most," said Olack. "By pairing simple digital experiences with personalized, in-branch guidance, we're meeting clients where they are and helping them plan for what's next."

Source: GlobalFinTechSeries