Almost one-third of the world's largest banks are planning to launch mobile banking services in the next 12 to 24 months, according to a February 2008 Loudhouse Research survey commissioned by Sybase 365.

Though Europe and Asia-Pacific are more advanced when it comes to mobile banking, growth will be strongest in the US, where 53% of banks surveyed plan to roll out mobile banking services within two years.

According to Sybase 365's 2007 mobile banking survey, 33% of consumers expressed a desire to deal with finances on the move.

"Key factors for financial institutions offering mobile banking are not solely commercial, such as reducing costs or generating revenue," said Matthew Talbot, vice president at Sybase 365, in a statement. "Mobile banking provides unique opportunities for customer interaction and retention."