Mobile Banking: Anytime, Anyplace

Faster data access through 3G networks, as well as wider adoption of smartphones—and the apps that go with them—has helped boost usage of mobile banking, according to the "Mobile Financial Services: The Market Today & Opportunities for Tomorrow" report from comScore.

Convenience is a major appeal of mobile banking, and to achieve it users take advantage of various access methods.

Banking on a Web browser was most the popular method among both smartphone and 3G device users, with access through dedicated applications not far behind.

The biggest difference between the habits of smartphone and 3G users showed up in the popularity of SMS-based mobile banking. Just 25% of smartphone users banked by text message, while 41% of 3G subscribers did.

Mobile banking access is not just valuable for users on the go, either. Nearly one-third (31%) of mobile bankers said their primary point of access was at home.

One-quarter of users accessed services primarily while running errands, and another 15% accessed primarily during their commute. Usage at work or when traveling was lower.

"The increasing adoption of smartphones and access to 3G networks, along with the rapid development of mobile apps, have created a fertile environment for the acceleration of mobile banking," said Marc Trudeau of comScore. "Financial institutions hoping to capitalize on this quickly emerging consumer banking trend need to be ahead of the curve and understand how consumers are using the mobile channel today and how they would like to use it in the future."