The Distillery #17: 2026 Tech Trends, Apple's Satellite Expansion & the Bank of England's Stablecoin Rulebook

November 2025

Telecoms & Connectivity

Juniper Research

Analyst House

We’ve just released our annual whitepapers highlighting the 10 trends in fintech and telecoms to watch over the next twelve months.

And this year’s trends are big. From AI agents and next-gen networks to stablecoins, agentic commerce, and new fraud threats, these are the insights you need to guide your strategy in 2026.

We’ll be diving deeper into both whitepapers next issue — but for now, why not grab your copies now?

💰 Top 10 Fintech & Payments Trends 2026
☎️ Top 10 Telecoms & Connectivity Trends 2026

Also in this edition:

• Apple looks set to push satellite connectivity into the everyday iPhone experience.
• AI-generated fraud is accelerating fast — but here's how to get ahead.
• The Bank of England outlines its first framework for sterling-denominated stablecoins.
• Our latest insights on digital wallets, messaging fraud, travel eSIM, and eCommerce.

TELECOMS & CONNECTIVITY

Apple Looks Set to Expand the iPhone's Satellite Features

Apple is reportedly preparing a major expansion of its satellite capabilities. Beyond upgrading Emergency SOS, the company is exploring media sharing via satellite, satellite-led navigation, and — most notably — an API that lets third-party developers build these features into their own apps.

Together, these moves signal Apple’s intent to make satellite support a normal part of the iPhone experience rather than a last-resort safety net.

Distilled…

🟣 Satellite demand is accelerating fast. Our latest research predicts more than 320 million cellular connections will use satellite services globally by the end of 2026, up from just 60 million this year. Apple’s expanded feature set places the iPhone directly in the path of that growth.

🟣 The commercial question looms large over Apple’s strategy. With existing satellite features offered for free and consumers unwilling to pay more, ROI depends on enterprise and developer adoption. That makes the new API pivotal, and navigation and weather apps are likely to be early adopters; giving Apple a clear monetisable entry point.

🟣 Scale remains the unlock. To maximise revenue, Apple needs both broad API adoption and wider satellite coverage. Stronger coverage enhances the value for developers and positions Apple to take advantage of the longer term potential of non-terrestrial networks.

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FREE WEBINAR

AI-generated Fraud is Running Rampant. Are You Ready for 2026?

From synthetic identities to deepfakes and injection attacks, the fraud landscape is evolving at breakneck speed. For businesses, the challenge in 2026 will be to keep pace with a threat that learns and evolves faster than traditional defences can respond.

We've teamed up with Mitek Systems to uncover how AI is rewriting the fraud playbook, and what leading institutions are doing to stay ahead of it.

You'll learn how:

• AI-generated fraud tactics will evolve in 2026

• Fraudsters are weaponising generative AI to bypass traditional onboarding and authentication

• Modern identity verification strategies must evolve, and why Mitek’s award-winning AI innovations are redefining digital trust

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FINTECH & PAYMENTS

Bank of England Maps Out a Path for Sterling Stablecoins

The Bank of England is laying the groundwork for sterling-denominated stablecoins. Its newly proposed framework outlines how systemic stablecoins should be backed, managed, and integrated into the UK’s payments landscape. The BoE calls it a “significant step” toward a future where new forms of digital money sit alongside today’s payment rails.

The plan includes strict collateral rules, temporary holding limits, and a staged rollout designed to minimise risks to financial stability during the transition.

Distilled…

🟣 The reserve rules are tight — and could limit competition. Issuers would be allowed to hold up to 60% of reserves in short-term UK government debt, with the remaining 40% placed in non-interest-bearing accounts at the BoE. Systemic issuers could be pushed as high as 95% in reserves. This prioritises stability over profit, but it also means thinner margins; a dynamic that may squeeze out smaller fintechs and concentrate the market around larger, well-capitalised players.

🟣 Temporary holding limits are designed to prevent bank-run dynamics. Individuals may be capped at £20,000 per sterling stablecoin, and businesses at £10 million, at least during the early transition period. The aim is to slow any rapid shift of deposits from banks into digital money. It’s a cautious, staged approach that could temper early adoption, especially among institutions.

🟣 Crypto traders aren’t directly affected, but UK stablecoin builders could be. The rules won’t apply to non-sterling stablecoins like USDT or USDC, which remain under FCA oversight. Exchanges can keep offering them with minimal disruption. But payment and fintech firms developing sterling-backed stablecoins will face new regulatory and operational hurdles. Those planning to enter the UK stablecoin market should start preparing for a more demanding compliance environment.

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ICYMI

The Last Drop

We can’t fit all our work from the last fortnight in one issue, so here’s a hand-picked selection of blogs, infographics, and insights that deserve your attention.

💳 More than two-thirds of the globe will be digital wallet users by 2030; signalling a clear shift toward wallet-first payments in both emerging and mature regions.

🚀 Banking is innovating faster than traditional API-driven development allows — and composability and AI-led orchestration are filling the gap. But where does this take the industry next?

📉 Consumer losses to mobile messaging fraud are expected to fall 10% over the next five years, thanks to stronger detection tools and better ecosystem collaboration.

✈️ Travel eSIMs are offering savings of up to 75% per GB of data, compared to roaming. What makes eSIM providers able to offer such low prices?

🛒 Global eCommerce transactions will reach $440 billion by 2029, powered by smoother checkout journeys, embedded payment flows, and the continued rise of agentic retail.

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