Mobile Banking Adoption and User Behavior

Mobile banking has emerged as a transformative force in global financial services, reshaping the way individuals access and manage their funds. Adoption determinants span technological, personal and contextual dimensions, with perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness proving consistently influential in shaping behavioural intention. Trust and perceived security underpin user confidence, while social influence and cultural norms mediate patterns of take-up across diverse populations. Demographic factors such as age, income and digital literacy interact with service design features, including interface usability, transaction speed and customer support, to govern both initial uptake and sustained engagement. On the demand side, behavioural theories—most notably the Technology Acceptance Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior—have provided robust frames for analysing intentions and attitudes, whereas supply-side considerations, such as regulatory frameworks and network interoperability, determine the broader ecosystem in which mobile banking thrives. Recent attention has also turned to discontinuance behaviour, whereby users discontinue or limit their mobile banking activity, often citing control beliefs and the need for exploratory stimulation. Across developing and mature markets, mobile banking serves as a catalyst for financial inclusion, offering low-cost transaction channels and remote access to under-served segments. Simultaneously, challenges persist in bridging digital divides, safeguarding user privacy and aligning commercial incentives with equitable access. This multifaceted research domain continues to evolve as digital innovation accelerates and user expectations become ever more sophisticated.

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Recent studies have advanced understanding of why users adopt, persist with or discontinue mobile banking. One investigation into discontinuance usage intentions applies the Theory of Planned Behavior in conjunction with the Optimum Stimulation Level concept, revealing that higher perceived behavioural control and subjective norms intensify discontinuance among users seeking exploratory stimulation. Attitudinal unfavourability also predicts cessation of app use, highlighting the need for banks to tailor engagement strategies to varying stimulation needs.

A mediated-model study from a developing-country perspective extends the Technology Acceptance Model by examining perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, security, satisfaction and trust among prospective mobile banking customers. Findings indicate that ease of use and usefulness directly drive adoption intention, whereas trust serves as a partial mediator between security perceptions and satisfaction. The analysis underscores that security and satisfaction alone may not suffice to persuade new users without building a foundation of trust.

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa synthesises empirical evidence on mobile fintech services, concluding that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness remain the most potent determinants of adoption. The review highlights a striking scarcity of supply-side investigations and field experiments, and recommends policy actions to enhance digital and financial literacy, as well as technical compatibility standards, to broaden mobile banking reach in low-inclusion contexts.

Mobile Banking Adoption and User Behavior publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in mobile banking adoption and user behavior across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Behavioural intention: An individual’s reported likelihood to perform a given action, such as adopting or continuing to use mobile banking services.

Perceived ease of use: The degree to which a user believes that interacting with a mobile banking application will be free of effort.

Perceived usefulness: The extent to which a user believes that mobile banking will enhance their financial management or transactional efficiency.

Optimum Stimulation Level (OSL): A personal trait reflecting the preferred degree of sensory and cognitive stimulation, influencing exploratory behaviours in technology use.

Discontinuance usage intention: The user’s propensity to stop or reduce use of a mobile banking application after initial adoption.

References

1. The role of OSL in mobile banking application discontinuance: A technological innovation dilemma. Technovation (2024).
2. M-banking adoption from the developing countries perspective: A mediated model. Digital Business (2023).
3. Mobile fintech adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Research in International Business and Finance (2025).