Jing Ji Guan Cha Wang·2026-02-18 05:47Core Insights - The monthly active users (MAU) of mobile banking apps in China have stabilized between 648 million and 739 million, indicating that user growth has reached a ceiling, marking the end of a decade-long traffic dividend period [2] - User behavior has shifted significantly, with average session duration decreasing from 4.9 minutes in 2023 to approximately 2.7 minutes by mid-2025, reflecting a preference for high-frequency, short-duration, and function-oriented usage [2] - Major state-owned banks have solidified their market dominance, with all six major state-owned banks ranking in the top ten for MAU, led by Agricultural Bank of China with 249 million MAU [2] Industry Dynamics - The core competitive advantage of state-owned banks lies in their "full-scenario integration" capabilities, providing financial services deeply embedded in public services such as government, social security, healthcare, and education [3] - Joint-stock banks are adopting specialized development strategies, with China Merchants Bank leading its peers with 71.85 million MAU, while Ping An Bank and Citic Bank are leveraging AI technology to enhance service processes and maintain user engagement [3] - Local banks are experiencing polarization, with some city commercial banks maintaining MAU above 3 million due to their deep understanding of local markets, while private banks like WeBank and MYbank have fallen out of the top 50 due to challenges in customer acquisition and retention [3] Future Trends - As the industry standard for single-session usage time becomes 3 minutes, banks must rethink their value creation strategies [4] - AI-driven service process optimization, real-time risk control systems, and multi-device collaboration within ecosystems are reshaping the competitive landscape [4] - Key factors for institutional success in the future will include precise user insights, prudent risk management, and robust ecosystem integration capabilities [4]