Online and mobile banking are quickly becoming the same thing,according to a new report from Forrester Research. This slide showillustrates the points made in the report, authored by the thinkfirm's Jacqueline Anderson and based on data from 16 countrieswhere Forrester conducted surveys in the past year.

Demand for anytime, anywhere access and the spread of mobiletechnology in general and smartphones in particular areresponsible, although adoption pace varies from countryto country.

To get a better understanding of the blurring line betweenInternet and mobile banking, the Forrester researchers definedonline bankers as consumers who have checked account balances,transferred money, or paid bills at a bank's website in the pastthree months. Mobile bankers were defined as those who have everused mobile banking services via text alerts, mobile Internet, or amobile application to check account balances, transfer money or paya bill.

Online penetration for online banking is highest andapproximately equal in the most developed global markets.

Developing markets such as Mexico, Brazil, China and India areexpected to see sharp mobile adoption growth rates in the next fewyears.

Educated men about 30 years old dominate mobile banking uptakein India. In the Netherlands, education level skews down andaverage age goes up.

Similar graphics come forward for online bankers as for mobilebankers in terms of average age, education and income levels amongusers in the countries surveyed.

(These infographics also appeared in the Aug. 24 printedition of Credit Union Times.)