Cybersecurity: Where the Real Money Will Be Made in 2026

For the last two years, artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated every conversation. Politicians, chief executive officers and the media have crowned it the revolution of the decade. But while the world has been fixated on AI, another force has been rising quietly in the background. One that is far more urgent, more explosive and now impossible to ignore. That force is Cybersecurity, and the latest global data makes it undeniable.

Cyber threats are on the rise

Cyberattacks are exploding at a record pace. Ransomware incidents are at an all-time high, and global cybercrime damage is projected to reach USD 10.5 trillion annually, the most significant wealth transfer in history. Hospitals, energy grids, logistics networks and government systems are being attacked weekly. Our entire way of life is now powered by digital infrastructure, and that infrastructure is under siege.

The turning point is the intelligence behind these attacks. According to the 2025 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Report, AI-generated phishing is already three times more successful than traditional attempts, with offensive capabilities evolving faster than any defensive system can adapt.

Countries are in a geopolitical cyberwar

And it’s not just criminals. A geopolitical cyberwar is unfolding. China, Russia, Iran and North Korea have massively expanded their state-backed cyber divisions, targeting Western energy grids, semiconductor supply chains and critical infrastructure. In many cases, cyberwarfare has replaced missiles as the preferred weapon.

The financial response tells you everything. Global cybersecurity spending is set to reach USD 215 billion in 2025 and surpass USD 300 billion in 2026. To put that into perspective, cybersecurity investment is now growing faster than AI, cloud computing, and data centre spending combined, making it the strongest growth engine in global technology.

Meanwhile, the world faces a severe shortage of defenders. By 2026, the global cyber-skills gap is expected to exceed 4.5 million unfilled positions, one of the worst labour shortages in modern history and salaries are soaring. In Australia, the average cybersecurity wage is around $135,000, with specialist roles upwards of $180,000 to $220,000, placing cybersecurity among the top five highest-paid technology careers in the country.

Opportunities for investors in cybersecurity

And Australia has its own emerging beneficiaries. Companies like Qoria (ASX: QOR), FirstWave (ASX: FCT) and ArchTIS (ASX: AR9) are positioned directly in front of this global spending surge, sitting in the slipstream of regulatory pressure, AI-driven threats and corporate cyber mandates.

Most investors miss these opportunities until it’s too late, but in 2026, acting early is everything. Investing in cybersecurity, or even shifting your career towards it, will not just shield you from becoming irrelevant in the age of AI. It could put you at the centre of what may become the most profitable megatrend of the next decade.

What are the best and worst-performing sectors this week?

The best-performing sectors include Energy and Materials, both up over 2 per cent, followed by Utilities, up under half a per cent. The worst performing sectors include Information Technology, down over 2 per cent, followed by Healthcare, down just under 2 per cent and Consumer Staples, down under one and a half per cent.

The best performing stocks in the ASX top 100 include South 32, up over 9 per cent, followed by Sandfire Resources and BHP Group, both up over 6 per cent. The worst-performing stocks include Metcash Ltd, down over 9 per cent, followed by Pinnacle Investment Group and Block Inc, both down over 8 per cent.

What's next for the Australian stock market?

It’s been a relatively muted week for the All-Ordinaries Index, with it edging down around 0.2 per cent. Early in the week, the selling pressure hinted at the potential for a deeper pullback, but buyers returned mid-week to steady the market. Even so, December, which is typically the third-strongest month of the year, has been slow out of the blocks, especially following November’s disappointing 2.83 per cent decline.

More importantly, the next fortnight will determine whether the market is stabilising or slipping. A breakout back above 9,000 would signal the recovery is back on track, while a drop below 8,800 would raise the risk of a retest of the November low. If that level fails, downside pressure could accelerate toward the 8,300 level.

Sector performance this week highlighted the market’s indecision. Energy and Materials provided much-needed strength, while Information Technology and Healthcare lagged. Financials were largely unchanged, leaving the broader market caught in a tug-of-war, with sector gains and losses neutralising one another.

Looking ahead, the path to higher levels remains open, but it is increasingly evident that this is a sector-led bull phase rather than a broad-based rally. Materials, Energy, Industrials, and Utilities continue to draw the strongest inflows. That trend is likely to carry into 2026 as investors position for rising commodity demand and long-term structural tailwinds across infrastructure and energy markets.

For now, good luck and good trading.

Dale Gillham is the Chief Analyst at Wealth Within and the international bestselling author of How to Beat the Managed Funds by 20%. He is also the author of the award-winning book Accelerate Your Wealth—It’s Your Money, Your Choice, which is available in all good bookstores and online.

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