Mobile banking surge in Germany continues in 2021 – survey

The popularity of mobile banking in Germany continues to grow amid the wider shift to digital banking services, according to a survey by digital trade association Bitkom published Jan. 18.

For the first time, more than half of online banking users chose to make a transfer or check their current account status via an app on their smartphone or tablet, Bitkom said. As much as 54% of online banking users preferred to use an app versus 47% a year ago and 30% three years ago, the association said.

Overall, 73% of the Germans surveyed said they use online banking. Of these respondents, 58% said they handle their banking primarily via a smartphone app while 50% use a tablet app, the survey showed.

Among the app users, 60% prefer the app of their own bank while only 9% use third-party applications, according to the data.

Banks are increasingly adding new functionalities to their apps to make them more attractive, including push notifications about excessive credit card spending and loyalty schemes, Kevin Hackl, digital banking and financial services consultant at Bitkom, said in a statement.