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The Future of Open Banking: API Standards, Interoperability, and Competition
Can a joint effort solve Open Banking's interoperability issues?
thedinarian
March 29, 2023
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Open banking is a financial services concept that allows third-party developers to create applications and services based on banking data using application programming interfaces. (APIs).

Its goal is to provide clients more control over their financial data and to increase competition in the banking industry. As open banking evolves, various factors, such as API standards, interoperability, and competitiveness, are influencing its future.

API Requirements

API standards are crucial to open banking's success because they provide a common vocabulary for diverse systems to connect with one another. The use of standardized APIs will allow developers to create applications that can communicate with numerous banks and financial organizations.

As a result, a more open and linked environment will emerge, benefiting both consumers and companies.

The Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) in Europe requires banks to provide accessible APIs for third-party applications to access consumer data. This has resulted in the creation of many API standards, including those developed by the Berlin Group, Open Banking UK, and STET.

These standards define how APIs should be built, documented, and implemented, making it easier for developers to create cross-bank applications.

Interoperability

The capacity of multiple systems to function together effortlessly is referred to as interoperability. Interoperability in the context of open banking means that different banks and financial organizations can exchange data with one another using a common standard.

Customers will be able to view all of their financial information at one location, regardless of which bank they use.

The lack of interoperability has been a fundamental impediment to open banking adoption. Customers have been wary about using open banking services because they require them to share financial information with third-party companies.

Customers may be unwilling to use these services if data cannot be transferred securely and efficiently.

Several projects have been developed to encourage interoperability in open banking to overcome this difficulty. The Financial Data interchange (FDX) in the United States and the Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) in the United Kingdom, for example, are trying to develop common standards for open banking data interchange.

These standards will make it easier for banks and third-party providers to communicate data in a secure and efficient manner, allowing for greater use of open banking services.

Competition

Open banking is opening up new avenues for competition in the banking business. Open banking enables the development of new services that compete with existing banking products by allowing third-party providers access to consumer data.

As a result, banks are being forced to innovate and improve their own services in order to remain competitive.

Payment services are one area where open banking is likely to drive competition. Open banking APIs can be used to develop new payment systems that are faster, less expensive, and more convenient than existing ways.

This has the potential to disrupt the current payment environment, opening up new opportunities for fintech startups and other innovative businesses.

Financial management services are another area where open banking is likely to boost competition. Third-party suppliers can design applications that assist clients to manage their finances more successfully by gaining access to customer data.

Budgeting tools, savings calculators, and investment management services are examples of such services. As these services become more generally available, they may open up new avenues for rivalry in the financial management industry.

Solving the Interoperability Issue

Open banking technology aims to provide greater transparency and innovation in the financial sector by making banking services more accessible and convenient. However, one of the biggest challenges that open banking faces is interoperability, which refers to the ability of different systems to communicate and exchange data seamlessly. Tacking this issue is possible but it requires effort. We've highlighted 5 ways of improving interoperability in open banking.

Standardization of APIs

The first step towards improving interoperability in open banking is to standardize APIs across the industry. Currently, there are different API standards used by different banks and financial institutions. This can create significant challenges for third-party providers who need to adapt to each API, which can lead to inconsistencies in data exchange. By standardizing APIs, open banking can reduce the complexity of integrating with multiple systems and enable seamless data exchange across platforms.

Collaboration among banks and third-party providers

Collaboration among banks and third-party providers is crucial for improving interoperability in open banking. Banks can work with third-party providers to identify areas of improvement and develop common solutions that can be used by all parties. For instance, a common authentication mechanism can be developed that can be used by all third-party providers to access customer data. This will eliminate the need for third-party providers to develop their authentication mechanisms, which can reduce the risk of data breaches.

Implementation of industry-wide standards

Implementation of industry-wide standards can also help to improve interoperability in open banking. There are several standard-setting bodies that are working towards developing common standards for open banking. For instance, the Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) in the UK has developed a common standard for APIs that is being used by banks and third-party providers in the country. The adoption of such standards can help to create 💥a level playing field💥 for all players in the industry and eliminate the need for custom solutions.

Creation of data exchange platforms

The creation of data exchange platforms can also help to improve interoperability in open banking. These platforms can act as intermediaries between banks and third-party providers and enable seamless data exchange across platforms. As an example, the Financial Data Exchange (FDX) in the US is a non-profit organization that has developed a common API standard for data sharing between banks and third-party providers. FDX also provides a secure data exchange platform that enables banks and third-party providers to exchange data in a standardized format.

Integration with emerging technologies

Finally, 💥open banking can leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to improve interoperability.💥 AI can be used to analyze data patterns and identify inconsistencies in data exchange, which can help to improve the accuracy and reliability of data exchange. 💥Blockchain, on the other hand, can be used to create a decentralized network for data exchange, which can improve security and eliminate the need for intermediaries.💥

Conclusion

Open banking is a game-changing idea with the potential to change the banking system. Adoption of API standards, interoperability, and competitiveness will be key to open banking's success.

Open banking will enable the development of new services that will benefit clients and foster innovation in the banking industry by developing common standards for data interchange, promoting interoperability, and driving competition. It will be intriguing to observe how open banking transforms the financial services market and improves the client experience as it evolves.

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Trust NO (potentially fake) XRPL Labs / Xaman staff on social.

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thedinarian@thedinarian
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4 Fintech Companies 💸& Things To Know About 🤔

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  1.  Alina Invest - The AI Wealth Manager for GenZ Women

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3. Akirolabs - Modern Procurement for enterprise

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4. NeoTax - Automated Tax R&D Credits

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In an era where technology and finance are increasingly intertwined, these four fintech companies stand out as catalysts for positive change. By driving progress in digital payments, asset management, lending, and decentralized finance, they are not only making financial services more accessible and efficient—they are also paving the way for a more inclusive and empowered global economy. Staying informed about their innovations can help you seize new opportunities and take part in the future of finance.

 

👀Things to know 👀

 

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thedinarian@thedinarian
July 27, 2025
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What is XAH and Xahau?

If you're new to XRP, you may have noticed some of us discussing another network named 'Xahau'.

It's Like XRP ... But Different

The Xahau network was created in 2023, and its starting point was the open-source code for the XRP Ledger. A small team of researchers and entrepreneurs decided to add smart contracts to the network code.


The XRP Ledger has no smart contract capabilities, by default.

To integrate smart contracts, the team decided to use an architecture that includes 'WASM' or 'web assembly' code. Each account can have up to 10 'hooks' installed that are triggered for transactions that match specific criteria. They can run before or after a transaction is processed. This enables a variety of use cases that do not involve the need to change the network's core code.

Hooks

A 'hook' is what is known as a smart contract that can be triggered in relation to a specific account and its transactions.

The term arises from the programming world, where it generally means "code that runs based on triggering conditions." In Xahau's case, it indicates code that is run before, or after, a transaction is processed.
 
Each hook must be installed on a specific account by the party that controls the account - i.e., the secret key holder.
 
What Can XAH Do That XRP Cannot?
 
The primary benefit from the use of hooks, is that the core network code does not need to be changed every time a new use case is identified. This means that additional use cases can be addressed immediately, with no requirement for intervening steps, such as:
  • Community review
  • Community approval
  • Amendment voting
All of those steps are eliminated with the use of hooks; new use cases can be addressed as fast as the code can be developed.
 
To read more about how hooks enables Xahau to handle more use cases than even the XRPL, you can read this article:
 
Key Differences From XRP
 
Other unique differences from the XRP Ledger include:
  • Much smaller supply ~612 million coins vs. 100 billion coins
  • XAH hodlers are rewarded at 4% of their account balance. There are no rewards for XRP.
  • Governance participants are incentivized
  • Payment channels available for user-created tokens (IOUs)
  • URI tokens instead of NFT tokens
Who's Who of Xahau?
 
The list of those that are either founders, or closely associated with the founding organizations, is extensive. Here are the names of three organizations mentioned in the whitepaper, or their current moniker:
  • Xaman (a.k.a. XRPL Labs)
  • Gatehub
  • InFTF (Inclusive Financial Technology Foundation)
There exists a long list of impressive developers, architects, and technologists among the Xahau inner circle. But the three names that people associate most prominently with the leadership of the Xahau network are Wietse Wind, Richard Holland, and Denis Angell. The links to their 'X' accounts are:
 
Friend Or Foe?
 
This topic is one of the most contentious.
 
While Ripple, the company with the largest stake of XRP, showed interest in hooks early on, they ultimately decided to advocate for a different approach; the use of an EVM-based solution (Ethereum Virtual Machine) to handle smart contracts on the XRP Ledger. This decision was met with consternation by the Xaman team that had worked with them for several years to advocate for the use of hooks.
 
You can read more about the 'business politics' part of this topic here:
 
So how do Xahau fans view the relationship between XRP and XAH?
 
The Xahau team - and many of its community members - advocate for the use of a 'dual-chain' solution to implement smart contracts. This can be accomplished by the use of 'listener' software, along with native Xahau hooks.
 
A proof of concept, developed by Denis Angell, has demonstrated that bi-lateral communication can work with a simple approach.
 
From an economic standpoint, every chain that has its own digital asset is a competitor; but the simple way to think about Xahau, is that a 'bunch of XRP geeks' decided to implement smart contracts on their own version of the XRP Ledger.
 
The team emphasized transparency along the way, and initially received support from the primary XRP stakeholder, Ripple. They published Xahau as open-source code that could, in theory, be back-engineered and integrated with the XRP Ledger. You can clearly observe the team's idealistic mindset in early marketing mistakes, where they named their digital asset 'XRP Plus' in an effort to emphasize the way that they viewed their creation. While this resulted in confusion - and even suspicion - in its early days, the team quickly pivoted, and named their digital asset 'XAH', which became its ticker symbol.
 
Synergy effects between the two camps speak to a genuine camaraderie, with many Xahau developers being open and willing to help with changes to the core XRP Ledger protocol. You can find many examples of this open dialogue on the 'X' platform.
 
How To Purchase XAH
 
If you wish to speculate by buying XAH directly, it is available in a variety of convenient locations, depending on where you are located. If you're in a country that is supported by Bitrue, you can directly purchase or trade XAH by using that exchange.
 
On January 20th, 2025, Bitmart announced that it supports trading of XAH for customers in their list of supported countries; And in late March, another major exchange announced that they would be supporting XAH trading pairs: Coinex.
 
If you're located in the United States, you can purchase XAH directly from a vendor known as 'C14'. The xApp for C14 is located in the Xaman wallet.
 
XRP Ledger geeks can also purchase XAH IOUs on the XRPL Dex and then convert them to 'real' XAH using a Gatehub bridge. This is available in countries that Gatehub supports.
 
Which XAH Accounts Should I Follow?
 
On the 'X' platform, there exists two major community groups for XAH fans:
In addition to the Xahau notables I've already mentioned in this article, my advice is to take a look at who is posting in the above two communities. There are many impressive leaders and entrepreneurs included. You should be able to find multiple 'X' accounts that reflect your interests.
 
Xahau Development Roadmap
 
Xahau leaders have published a roadmap for 2025 that lists their various goals for the ecosystem:
 
To read a detailed explanation for each item, refer to this: Xahau Roadmap Super Thread
 
One of the most incredible waypoints listed is 'JavaScript Hooks Implementation.' 🤯
JavaScript!
 
With the 'JavaScript Hooks Implementation', Xahau is making history; it will enable anybody that knows JavaScript to easily create and install a smart contract. While networks like Ethereum are impressive early movers, they require developers to learn a new language and syntax.
 
Xahau will soon open 'crypto smart contracts' to a group of developers that number in the tens of millions.
 
Project L-10K
 
Project L-10K is one of the most important items in the pipeline. L-10K refers to the effort to boost the throughput of Xahau consensus to over 10,000 transactions per ledger! This will benefit hosted projects such as Evernode, and future issued assets. Heading up the effort is Richard Holland, who provided a progress update to the community in late May of 2025:
 
To learn more about this ambitious effort, you can watch his full presentation here:
The Future Of Defi And Payments
 
Once you've seen the extensive list of use cases that XAH easily handles, it's truly inspiring. Xahau is everything that you love about XRP, plus a long list of more things to love. ❤️
 
Be an early adopter of XAH and the Xahau network! Join the community groups listed and follow the accounts that seem to reflect your own interest - speculator, developer, or crypto fan. You have a place in our community, no matter what your background or interests are. Welcome to the future of crypto Defi and Payments. 
 
Sources:
 
 
NOTE: Payment channels for IOUs is currently in amendment status for the XRP Ledger, authored by Denis Angel here:
 
 

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