Financial institutions and carriers are finally starting to realize that they need each other to take the mobile payments ecosystem to the next level, according to IDC.

Money-transfer giant Western Union discussed its mobile strategy and the hottest trends in the mobile financial services ecosystem in an exclusive interview.

Sun National Bank has launched Sun on Hand, an integrated mobile banking platform designed to expand access and services for its customers.

TIO Networks Corp. has launched a platform letting nearly 6 million energy customers in California make bill payments by using their mobile phone.

Mobile payments specialist Obopay has launched Mobile Money for Banks, letting banks deploy their own branded mobile money services.

A study by market research firm Data Innovation Inc. found that nearly 70 percent of respondents had used at least one mobile banking and/or payments service in the past three months.