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The banking industry in Kenya must adopt digital transformation to sustain competitiveness and improve customer experience in the context of rapidly evolving digital technologies. Despite the increasing focus on digitisation in the sector, the particular initiatives undertaken by commercial banks and their resulting impact on competitive advantage are not sufficiently comprehended. This study analysed the impact of digital transformation strategies on competitive advantage within commercial banks in Kenya. The primary aim was to evaluate the impact of service automation, data analytics, mobile banking applications, employee upskilling, and digital payment solutions on the competitiveness of banks. The study employed a descriptive design, focussing on 39 commercial banks categorised by tiers, which included 412 functional heads. A multi-stage sampling method integrating proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques was utilised to guarantee equitable representation. Employing Yamane’s formula, a sample of 203 respondents was determined. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires that were pretested with 15 participants and validated by subject experts to ensure content relevance and clarity. Reliability testing employing Cronbach’s Alpha produced satisfactory results (? ? 0.7), signifying robust internal consistency. The analysis of data encompassed both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results were presented visually through charts, graphs, and tables to facilitate interpretation. The findings indicated that all five digital transformation strategies impacted competitive advantage, although their contributions differed in magnitude. The findings indicate that commercial banks must move beyond the simple implementation of digital technologies and prioritise strategic integration to improve customer experience and value creation. Banks ought to implement targeted automation that preserves human engagement for intricate services while improving feedback systems. Banks must enhance data governance and invest in sophisticated, customer-centric analytical tools. Ongoing innovation in mobile banking is advisable, encompassing feature enhancements and improved interoperability, underpinned by robust cybersecurity standards. Prioritising employee upskilling is essential through structured training, digital leadership development, and industry-wide certification. Finally, banks must reassess their digital payment strategies to prioritise user experience, fraud prevention, and differentiated services, while regulators encourage secure and innovation-friendly environments.

There is a limited understanding of the emerging technologies, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning (ML) and their effect on the insurance sector in the Saudi Arabian market. A structural equational modelling was implemented to investigate the impact of emerging technology on customer experience, business productivity, risk management, and financial performance in Saudi insurance companies. Online surveys were directed to the insurance sector to explore their perceptions of the use of technology and its effect in 2024. The sample includes 102 valid responses in the data analysis. The findings show that the development and integration of technology in the Saudi Arabian insurance sector significantly improve customer experience, business productivity, risk management, and financial performance, which aligns with accelerated transformation in the market to achieve the main goals of the Saudi Vision 2030. 

There are growing concerns about ongoing digital innovation in the private sector, which poses the possibility of central banks losing their autonomy and even being backward in payment efficiency. Hence, CBDC has become the reality of central banks with several economies' ongoing digitalization and adaptation. This review explores the growing literature on CBDC design, its emergence, variations, potentials, and challenges for smooth future applications. It addressed research articles and gray literature to accumulate the current implementation concerns. Findings show that CBDC poses prospects for exploiting emerging technology, efficient payment systems, tax collections, and tracking illegal financial activities. However, there were mixed expectations regarding financial inclusion, financial stability, bank runs, disintermediation, monetary policy, privacy, security, technology, sustainability, and regulatory framework. Finally, as CBDCs will reduce the influence of private money creation and digital alternatives, they ensure that the central bank remains at the center of the financial system in the future.