Mainframes Power 70% of Global Transactions

Mainframes remain the backbone of the global economy, processing approximately 70% of core transactions across critical sectors like finance, insurance, government, and transportation. These systems are indispensable where performance, security, and resilience are paramount.

Far from being outdated, mainframes are evolving as integral components of modern enterprise architecture. They now seamlessly connect with cloud platforms and AI, supporting developers with consistent tools. This evolution is driven by the need for resilience, efficiency, and future readiness, moving modernization from IT concerns to C-suite strategy.

Rather than extracting data, many enterprises are adopting a 'data proximity' model, bringing applications and innovation closer to existing mainframe data. This ensures teams work with real-time, accurate information, mitigating risks and complexity. Modern integration methods maintain strict data governance, balancing accessibility with control in an era of heightened regulatory scrutiny.

AI is not replacing mainframes but accelerating their transformation. It unlocks value by enabling faster decisions and real-time insights, even enhancing fraud detection in banking by analyzing all transactions instantly. AI also makes working with legacy code more accessible, empowering a new generation of developers.

Security is now a board-level priority, with mainframes central to enterprise security strategies. They provide robust encryption, secure transaction processing, and ransomware resilience. Preparations are also underway for future threats, including post-quantum security.

The mainframe's role is further reshaped within hybrid cloud architectures. Through APIs, mainframes integrate into enterprise-wide ecosystems, combining cloud flexibility with mainframe reliability. This approach emphasizes interoperability and architectural balance, as seen in a European financial technology provider's use of hybrid cloud for national-scale resilience.