Earlier this month we reported on a survey that revealed that 48% of online banking customers between the ages of 18 and 34 would be interested in using “secure gadgets for personal banking” if their bank offered them. More than a quarter of bank customers would consider switching to another bank if it took better advantage of web 2.0 technologies. While that survey was flawed in some ways, there is another access point to banking information that customer may want more than secure widgets: mobile.
One third of the world’s largest banks are planning to launch mobile services in the next 1-2 years, according to a February 2008 survey. In the US, 53% of banks plan mobile services roll outs over the next two years. And it’s easy to see why. The Pew Internet & American Life Project Online Shopping report (PDF) from February found that 39% of Americans are doing their banking on the Internet, and analysts predict that mobile banking will grow to 884 million users worldwide by 2012.
With mobile usage on the rise one major US bank launched a suite of mobile banking services last year. A year later, Bank of America’s mobile site has a million unique active user accounts. On peak days, Bank of America sees 100,000 users sign into its mobile services, with more use coming from mobile-savvy city dwellers (where cellular data and wifi coverage are generally better). 80% of the bank’s mobile users are under the age of 45, and Bank of America reports that 2/3rds of users are under the age of 35.
Not surprisingly, the most popular devices are smart phones like the iPhone, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile-based phones. With some analysts expecting iPhone sales to triple this holiday season, we’re likely to see the up trend in online banking continue. Where do you do your banking? Let us know in the comments.
