Regulatory
Open Banking
Definition
Open Banking a framework enabling third parties to access bank account data and initiate payments with customer consent. Mandated by PSD2 in Europe. Enables account-to-account payments bypassing card networks. Growing as alternative payment method. Benefits include lower fees than cards and real-time payment confirmation. Adoption varies by market.
Related Terms
PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2)
European regulation governing payment services, effective since 2019. Key provisions include Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements, open banking mandates, and enhanced consumer protections. Applies to EEA countries and influenced UK regulations. PSD2 changed the payment landscape by requiring 3DS for most online transactions and enabling third-party access to bank accounts.
A2A Payments (Account to Account)
Payments transferred directly between bank accounts without using card rails. Enabled by open banking APIs. Lower fees than card payments (typically 0.1-0.5%). Irrevocable once completed - no chargebacks. Growing adoption in Europe and markets with real-time payment infrastructure. Not yet mainstream for e-commerce but expanding.
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