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PraizOpen Banking API Guide
Understand how banking APIs work, explore standards like PSD2 and FDX, and access directories of 51,000+ banking APIs and 60+ aggregators—all in one place.
Note: Apideck does not offer an Open Banking API. This page directs you to the Open Banking Tracker, an Apideck project, for guides and directories.
60+ Open Banking aggregators.One directory.
Explore API aggregators that give you one integration to hundreds or thousands of banks. Compare coverage, standards, and regions on the Open Banking Tracker.
What is an Open Banking API?
An Open Banking API (Application Programming Interface) is a standardized, secure way for banks to share customer financial data with authorized third-party providers. APIs replace legacy screen scraping with OAuth 2.0, Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), and consent-based access—enabling account aggregation, instant payments, and better financial apps.
Key characteristics: secure (OAuth 2.0, SCA), standardized (UK Open Banking, Berlin Group, FDX), consent-based, and regulated (PSD2, Section 1033, CDR).
Types of Open Banking APIs
Open Banking APIs are categorized by function. The main types you’ll need for building products:
Account Information Services (AIS / AISP)
Read-only access to accounts, balances, and transactions. Powers aggregation and personal finance apps.
Payment Initiation Services (PIS / PISP)
Initiate payments from a customer’s bank account. Used for checkout, bill pay, and account-to-account transfers.
Confirmation of Funds (CoF / CBPII)
Yes/no check that sufficient funds are available—useful for pre-auth and verification.
Variable Recurring Payments (VRP)
Recurring authorized payments with a single consent—evolving beyond traditional direct debits.
See types, use cases, and API directory on Open Banking Tracker
Open Banking APIs and Open Accounting
Open Banking APIs are often used in combination with Open Accounting. Banking APIs provide real-time account and transaction data; accounting and ERP APIs deliver ledgers, invoices, and spend data. Together they power use cases like bank-feeds-into-ledgers, cash flow forecasting, reconciliation, and automated bookkeeping—so many fintech and B2B products integrate both.
For Open Banking APIs and directories, use the Open Banking Tracker. For accounting and ERP integrations, see our Accounting API.
Standards & Regulations
Open Banking APIs are governed by regional regulations and technical standards: PSD2 / PSD3 (EU), UK Open Banking (CMA), Section 1033 (USA, with FDX), and CDR (Australia). Technical specs include UK Open Banking Standard, Berlin Group NextGenPSD2, STET, Polish API, FDX, and Open Finance Brasil.
Explore banking APIs and aggregators
Whether you’re building account aggregation, payments, or compliance tools, you need a single source for APIs, aggregators, and regulations. Open Banking Tracker (by Apideck) provides:
- 51,000+ banking APIs tracked, with documentation and sandbox info
- 60+ API aggregators and 50+ regulations covered globally
Frequently asked questions
- What is an Open Banking API?
- An Open Banking API is a standardized way for banks to securely share customer financial data with authorized third-party providers (TPPs). These APIs enable account aggregation, instant payments, and personalized financial services with proper consent and security (OAuth 2.0, SCA).
- What are the main types of Open Banking APIs?
- The main types are Account Information Services (AIS) for read-only account data, Payment Initiation Services (PIS) for initiating payments, Confirmation of Funds (CoF) for verifying available balance, and Variable Recurring Payments (VRP) for recurring authorized payments.
- How do Open Banking APIs work?
- Users are redirected to their bank to authenticate with Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), grant consent for the data or payment, and the third party receives tokens to access the API. Data is shared securely via standardized REST APIs rather than screen scraping.
- Which regulations govern Open Banking APIs?
- Major frameworks include PSD2/PSD3 in Europe, UK Open Banking (CMA), Section 1033 in the USA (with FDX), and CDR in Australia. Technical standards include UK Open Banking Standard, Berlin Group NextGenPSD2, STET, and FDX.
- Should I connect to bank APIs directly or use an aggregator?
- Direct bank APIs suit single-bank use cases and give full control; API aggregators offer one integration for hundreds or thousands of banks, normalized data, and maintained connectivity—better for multi-bank coverage and faster rollout.
Ready to explore Open Banking APIs?
Browse banking APIs, aggregators, and regulations on Open Banking Tracker—the definitive resource for open banking and PSD2.