2026 Predictions from Philip Dutton, CEO of Solidatus
With 2025 ending, Philip Dutton, CEO and Co-Founder of Solidatus, the data lineage company, is sharing a set of exclusive 2026 predictions.
These insights cover some of the most pressing themes for the year ahead: AI transparency, regulatory change, operational resilience, and the growing commercial importance of trusted data.
#1 Expect to see regulation moving from proof to proactivity over the next 12 months:
2026 will see regulators expect not just evidence of compliance, with frameworks like DORA, BCBS 239, and AI transparency mandates, but real-time operational resilience. In a similar vein, you won’t get away with saying ‘we think EU data stays in the EU’, you’ll be expected to show it, with lineage that is jurisdiction-aware by design.
Data lineage will therefore continue to evolve from a static compliance requirement into a live operational control system that demonstrates how data supports financial stability, risk management, and AI oversight on an ongoing basis. The winners will be the organisations that can open a single blueprint and see, in seconds, which data sets are impacted by different regulations, new local rules or a sovereign cloud migration.
#2 Effective AI is going to hinge on the trusted data underneath:
In 2026, ‘explainable AI’ is going to mean ‘explainable data’. Regulators won’t just ask what a model did, they’ll ask which data made it behave that way and who changed that data last.
And as AI becomes embedded in decision-making, the C-level are going to be demanding more explainability. The ability to trace AI inputs and outputs across data pipelines is going to define trustworthy AI. Lineage will therefore become the new audit trail for AI ethics, accountability, regulatory assurance etc.
#3 Data governance is going to become federated:
The era of centralised governance teams dictating rules is going to come to an end in 2026. The most successful organisations will distribute ownership, embedding governance accountability within business teams. This “federated lineage” model which is already emerging in advanced banks, will balance control with agility and scale over the next 12 months.
#4 Data lineage is going to become the commercial differentiator
This one might sound self-serving, but I really believe that what began as a compliance necessity is becoming a strategic asset and that firms in the financial space are going to be using transparent, metadata-driven data ecosystems to monetise trust, accelerate partnerships, and create richer client experiences. For me, the next wave of data leaders will compete not on who has the most data, but on who can prove its integrity, provenance, value etc.
About Philip Dutton
Philip is Co-Founder and CEO of Solidatus. Philip is a Senior System Architect and Project Manager with over 20 years’ experience within Financial Services. He’s a thought leader in the Fintech/Regtech sectors and passionate about revolutionizing the data economy.
About Solidatus
Solidatus is an award-winning data lineage and governance company, helping organisations map, manage, and monetise their data. By making complex data flows transparent and easy to understand, Solidatus enables better decision-making, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. Trusted by leading global banks, insurers, and enterprises, Solidatus empowers businesses to unlock the true value of their data.