KBC Belgium deploys XMLdation API Sandbox to boost its API programme

KBC has built a successful API programme for Open Banking and Insurance.

The bank is proactively designing and delivering a broad range of services over API across many KBC business units. KBC has built on the foundations laid for its PSD2 API strategy in 2018, but has gone way beyond the initial compliance requirements with the establishment of an API programme for open banking and insurance.

•  A good network of partners that can leverage KBC’s APIs to deliver new services
• Contribution from many business units at KBC, API-ifying their individual areas
• A solid and consistent process for launching APIs across businesses
• KBC wants to go beyond offering traditional banking and insurance products through API. They are developing new, data driven, services and will (in the future) offer these via API.

Selection of industry-leading partners, including XMLdation for its API Sandbox

KBC’s initial API programme began by focusing on support for PSD2 APIs. The bank has quickly broadened their range of APIs and methods for integration to reflect the diversity of services they deliver in the Belgian market. Some examples include APIs for insurance and leasing products, targeted at both consumers and businesses. For these APIs, KBC worked with Fintech partners who embed the APIs into applications designed for use by retailers and HR departments. KBC APIs also support account opening for business accounts, especially start-ups and entrepreneurs. Here, KBC and its network of Business Pro partners, supported by APIs, simplifies and modernises the customer journey to allow KBC clients to set up new accounts instantly. Finally, KBC supports treasury efficiency and automation, with premium APIs for real-time account information, including intra-day balances and transaction detail.

XMLdation delivers the Sandboxes for KBC’s growing catalogue of APIs

Once a KBC business prepares the specification for a new API, they engage the XMLdation team, who act as a central partner across all business units, and provide advice and consultancy on the detailed API design, bringing consistency across the APIs. The XMLdation developers are the first to test the KBC API, providing early feedback on the swagger specification, and working on the sandbox in parallel with the API build at KBC. Delivery of a final implementation of the new API in the Sandbox thus takes a matter of weeks. A new Sandbox is therefore available for use by KBC partners by the time the API itself is launched. The Sandbox is a living platform, with continuous updates to accommodate additions to the catalogue as well as evolutions to published APIs. XMLdation’s role means business units can focus on their requirements and the actual API build, and rely on XMLdation to efficiently deliver the high quality API sandboxes the KBC network needs for vendor testing.

XMLdation supports a robust, repeatable approach to sandbox development, and makes use of a sophisticated code generation process to efficiently deliver, maintain and extend customised API sandboxes for banks.

XMLdation collaborates closely with KBC, and the partnership has delivered value based on professionalism, knowledge and fast delivery.