The prestigious Canalys’ 2025 Cybersecurity Leadership Matrix has once again identified the top players in the field of cybersecurity, with eight key vendors earning the elite Champion status. This title is awarded to those who excel in channel management, achieve market success, and actively strengthen partnerships within the cybersecurity ecosystem.
Among the holders of the Champion status are Check Point, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, Trend Micro, and WatchGuard, who have reaffirmed their long-standing leadership positions. A newcomer to the list is Acronis, joining the elite vendors for the first time, while Fortinet and Sophos have reclaimed their spots among the top players.
Cybersecurity: Partners as a Key Pillar of Success
Canalys’ Leadership Matrix highlights the growing importance of partnerships in the cybersecurity ecosystem. Customers increasingly expect proactive, predictive AI-driven solutions that can quickly respond to rising threats and limited resources. For vendors, this means the need to continuously support and educate their partners globally, enabling them to quickly adapt their models and capitalize on new business opportunities.
How Champions Support Partners to Succeed
Champion status is not just about business results – it also reflects special initiatives that empower partners and open doors to future growth. Among the most successful strategies implemented by the eight leaders were:
- Globalization of partner programs and restructuring frameworks to support various business models
- Simplified and more predictable transactions through cloud marketplaces
- Development of partners’ professional skills through specialized training and certifications
- Simplification of managed services through flexible payment options and SOC
- Automation of processes using AI and increased profitability through targeted support
- Implementation of customer-oriented metrics to track specific business goals
- Improvement of cross-sell and upsell opportunities through advanced analytics and collaboration with partners
Canalys’ Cybersecurity Leadership Matrix 2025 clearly shows that the future of cybersecurity is about effective partnerships, AI automation, managed services, and platform ecosystems. These eight vendors with Champion status have earned their place among the leaders thanks to their vision, focus on innovation, and investments in supporting their partners. However, the ability of vendors to continuously adapt to changing market needs will determine who becomes the leader of the next decade.cej dekády, však rozhodne schopnosť vendorov neustále sa prispôsobovať meniacim sa potrebám trhu.
