Banks worldwide are racing to integrate financial technology (FinTech) as competition intensifies and customer expectations shift toward digital-first services. Yet, the profitability impact of this transformation is proving to be anything but straightforward. New research shows that the financial rewards of digital adoption often follow a two-phase pattern, with an initial period of strain before technology-driven growth takes hold. A recent case study of China, in a paper titled "Financial Technology and Chinese Commercial Banks’ Overall Profitability: A “U-Shaped” Relationship", illustrates this phenomenon in striking detail. Drawing on data from 50 listed commercial banks over 2012–2023, the research maps a…