(Yicai Global) Dec. 7 -- The popularization of mobile apps is swelling the ranks of Chinese mobile banking service users.

The percentage of Chinese urban residents using mobile banking services among total banking service users has increased to 51 percent this year, the same as the figure for online banking service users (excluding mobile banking service users), the latest industrial survey report shows, as China.com reported.

Titled 2017 China E-Banking Survey Report, China Financial Certification Authority (CFCA) issued the research paper today. It shows that among the permanent resident population (aged 13 and above) of Chinese prefecture-level cities, the ratio of online banking service users is 51 percent, the same as that of mobile banking service users. 

China has more than 300 prefecture-level or higher-level cities.

The percentage of online banking service users grew 5 percentage points on last year, and that of mobile banking service users rose 9 percentage points, the report also said. Mobile banking is expected to become the most popular personal e-banking channel next year per user percentage.

Personal mobile banking service users now make up 57 percent of users in first-tier cities, up by 13 percentage points from last year. That number is 49 percent in third-tier cities, up 12 percentage points from last year, per the report.