Why do we think Net banking is catching fire? One word, actually one letter, X. The buzz-building Silicon Valley startup X.com is delivering useful, low-cost, and easy-to-use financial services. Leveraging this appealing and viral product, X.com and a host of imitators will lift online banking household penetration to the 15% mark this year, 20% next year, and 25% in 2002.

Contents
• Enabling E-Commerce with Internet Banking
• Detailed Online Banking Forecast
• Internet Metrics • Web users / traffic
• Household penetration
• Building the Bank of Dreams (Part 2 of 30)
• The online sign-up process
• The dream sign-up form
• Best of the Web: X.com’s sign-up process is nearly perfect
• Email Payments Update: eMoneyMail from Bank One
• On the Radar Screen: ibank.com, 1ViewNetwork.com, Yahoo PayDirect, PayMe.com bought by PayMytBills.com, NetFriday from Fleet, PointPathBank from Synovus, myBankUSA from First Savings Bank FSB, and more
• Viral Marketing Side Effects: Pyramid schemes using PayPal