3 API In Fintech Use Cases and The Benefits
Fintech or financial technology is a term that applies to any technology that helps consumers and businesses access financial data services faster and more efficiently than was traditionally available. Fintech focuses on improving and automating the delivery and uses of financial services and products.
API in fintech
The use APIs is rapidly growing thanks to the brilliant developers with the trend of digital financial transformation. Fintech runs across sectors, including insurance, consumer banking, wealth management, payment system, investment banking, and peer-to-peer lending. The main idea of using fintech as a financial solution is to dramatically improve users' lives and save businesses time and money because it's easier to integrate the data.
Fintech relies on an application programming interface (API) to work. API is the code that allows two applications to 'communicate' with each other. Simply, it connects you to apps and services you use daily. It leads to the development of a variety of fintech apps and programs. Thus, the consumers' financial lives improve by simplifying how people manage their money.
API allows the fintech programs to access information with a financial institution's server. The apps will later extract the necessary data from the server and provide it to their users related to their bank accounts.
The benefits of fintech APIs
Some benefits of API change the way you make financial transactions, including:
- Cost-Effective: API saves banks money in the long run and helps the customers. With API, banks can provide their customers with more services. One example is using bank apps to check the customer’s account, pay bills, apply for loans, etc.
- Data Accessibility: Banks could only keep their information and data hidden from the public before open banking applications. Users can meet their necessities and gain access to various financial products by providing data access to the third-party app.
- Growth-led: As the world has dramatically increased in recent years, fintech API has also risen significantly in recent years. The continued growth and development found that financial technology is becoming more and more robust. It is expected to grow more significantly into the future.
API uses cases in the fintech sector
1. Banking
People are now not required to come to the nearest bank branches to make a payment or transfer. Mobile banking installed on their phone has become a quick and efficient way to save a penny for the business. Most banking nowadays offers mobile-friendly banking features, which make banking simpler and faster for consumers.
2. Investment and savings
Thanks to fintech, the barriers to investing and saving are getting thinner over time. This gives the consumers access to investing in some assets. For instance, the integration of APIs and software for automated investing has enabled access to low-cost investing, so making investment is now no longer time-consuming. Some investment apps allow consumers to make auto-debit from their bank accounts so they can make regular investments automatically.
3. P2P lending
Consumers can also access a better loan using fintech. The technology allows the financial institutions to personalize the loan process and make it fit for each individual based on several factors inducing income, credit history, and location.
API is the future of fintech innovation
Because of API integrations between established businesses, startup and larger communities platform, the future of fintech innovations are promising. The future API banking may help banks connect with the e-commerce website while facilitating the process of online payments.
Financial solutions have been expanding in recent years. There are so many tailored financial products that customers can choose to suit their needs. Thanks to API in fintech, the data exchange between a third-app party to a financial institution is accessible to everyone.