The time is nearing.

Mobile payments are expected to become mainstream among consumers within four years, according to a new global survey conducted by advisory services firm KPMG International.

Indeed, 83% of the nearly 1,000 survey respondents believe that mobile payments will become conventional by 2015. That statistic compares to only 9% of respondents saying they view mobile payments as common today. The survey polled execs in financial services, technology, telecommunications and retail industries. Bank Innovation members also predicted similar estimates in a forum here.

A bit of good news for banks and credit card companies was also tucked away into the survey’s results: Globally, they scored the highest in level of importance in the mobile payments value chain, beating the Googles and PayPals of the world.

Still, the survey noted a few of the challenges lying ahead for banks, including new players.

“Leading banks are working feverishly to stay ahead of their peers and the new players in this space by developing mobile payments solutions, getting actively involved with standards setting, and partnering with other players in the mobile payments value chain such as merchants and mobile network operators,” said Carl Carande, national account leader of KPMG LLP’s Banking and Finance practice, in a statement. “It remains to be seen whether the banking industry establishes enough of a foothold in the mobile payments space and maintains its share of payments revenue.”