Key Takeaways
1. HITRUST Is No Longer Just for Healthcare: Once exclusive to healthcare, the framework now helps finance, insurance, and technology organizations unify security, privacy, and compliance efforts under one certifiable model.
2. Certification Strengthens Competitive Advantage: While not mandatory for financial institutions, adopting HITRUST positions leaders ahead of evolving cybersecurity and regulatory expectations.
3. HITRUST Builds Lasting Trust: Organizations that leverage the framework boost data protection, simplify audits, and enhance confidence across customers, partners, and regulators.
As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and data privacy regulations expand, financial institutions are under increasing pressure to demonstrate strong, auditable security practices. While HITRUST certification has traditionally been associated with the healthcare industry, its comprehensive, risk-based approach to data protection is gaining traction in other regulated industries, particularly finance.
Today, organizations in regulated sectors, including insurance, manufacturing, and technology, have broadened HITRUST’s appeal. The framework’s ability to integrate multiple security standards makes it an attractive option for any enterprise seeking a single, certifiable model for information security and privacy.
This post explores whether HITRUST for finance is necessary, how it compares to other security frameworks, and why it’s no longer just a healthcare standard.
Is HITRUST Only for Healthcare?
When HITRUST was founded in 2007, it was designed to help healthcare organizations align with HIPAA and other federal privacy laws. However, the HITRUST CSF® has since evolved into a cross-industry standard that maps to more than 40 frameworks and regulations. These include ISO 27001, NIST, PCI DSS, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA).
For financial institutions, that means HITRUST provides a single, certifiable framework that satisfies multiple compliance requirements at once. Banks, credit unions, insurance providers, and fintech companies increasingly view it as a way to unify fragmented audit programs and strengthen third-party risk management.
To learn more about the framework’s evolution beyond healthcare, see our related post: HITRUST Compliance for Non-Healthcare Companies: What It Is and Why It Matters.
Is HITRUST Certification Required in Finance?
Currently, HITRUST certification is not a legal requirement for financial institutions. However, it is rapidly becoming a de facto standard for demonstrating strong information security governance—especially among institutions that handle sensitive customer data or work with healthcare, insurance, or government clients.
Several factors are driving adoption:
- Regulatory overlap: HITRUST aligns with requirements under GLBA, FFIEC, and PCI DSS, helping institutions avoid duplicate audits.
- Third-party risk management: Many financial institutions now require vendors and business partners to maintain a certifiable framework such as HITRUST.
- Customer and investor assurance: HITRUST certification signals to clients and stakeholders that the organization adheres to a tested, independent standard of security maturity.
So, while HITRUST certification is not yet mandated, it’s increasingly seen as a strategic advantage that can streamline compliance and reduce risk across complex ecosystems.
How HITRUST Compares to Other Financial Compliance Frameworks
Financial organizations typically follow frameworks such as:
- ISO 27001, which establishes requirements for an Information Security Management System (ISMS).
- NIST CSF, which provides flexible guidance for risk management and cyber resilience.
- PCI DSS, which applies to organizations that store or process payment card data.
HITRUST differs in that it integrates these standards into a single, certifiable system—removing redundancies and providing a scalable, evidence-based approach to compliance. The HITRUST CSF’s scoring and assurance process also offer deeper validation than self-attested frameworks.
Why Financial Institutions Are Turning to HITRUST
Financial services organizations operate in one of the most highly regulated environments in the world, facing scrutiny from multiple oversight bodies. Adopting HITRUST helps them:
- Demonstrate due diligence across all major compliance mandates.
- Enhance trust with partners and regulators.
- Streamline audits through a unified evidence base.
- Protect against data breaches with comprehensive, risk-based controls.
For institutions managing sensitive personal and financial data, HITRUST’s rigor provides a measurable advantage in both compliance efficiency and cybersecurity posture.
How IS Partners Supports HITRUST for Finance
At IS Partners, our team brings deep expertise in HIPAA and HITRUST. This is a critical advantage for organizations that span multiple sectors, including healthcare, insurance, and financial services.
Our streamlined audit model simplifies complex compliance programs, helping institutions integrate HITRUST into their broader risk management strategies. With a client retention rate of over 95%, IS Partners has built lasting relationships by providing practical guidance, audit readiness support, and end-to-end certification management.
Discover how our HITRUST experts can help turn your compliance roadmap into measurable resilience and stakeholder confidence.
What Should You Do Next?
Evaluate your compliance landscape: Identify where HITRUST could consolidate overlapping frameworks.
Conduct a gap assessment: Compare your current controls to HITRUST CSF requirements.
Engage a certified assessor: Partner with a firm like IS Partners to guide readiness, validation, and certification.
Build long-term value: Treat HITRUST as part of a continuous improvement strategy for cybersecurity and compliance.
