Open Banking Banking Digital Transformation

Open Banking versus Open Finance

Beyond Open Banking: Exploring the Open Finance Opportunities in the U.S. and Canada

16 July 2024

Bruno Tinoco

Business Development Senior Architect, GFT USA

Reading time

min

The differences between Open Banking and Open Finance, and what both mean for the future of the financial sector in North America.

On the global financial landscape, Open Banking has been a catalyst for significant change, enabling secure data sharing between financial institutions and authorized third-parties. The movement is just the tip of the iceberg, with a deeper transformation approaching, known as Open Finance.

What is Open Finance?

Open Finance goes beyond Open Banking to include not only the sharing of financial data, but also the access and integration of a wide range of financial products and services through Open APIs. This means that consumers and businesses can not only access their bank accounts, but also integrate investment, insurance, mortgage, and even credit data in a more seamless and efficient way.

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Understanding the differences between Open Banking and Open Finance is essential to being able to fully capitalize on the emerging possibilities in this dynamic and new financial ecosystem. As well, to be able to stay ahead of the technology curve will make all the difference.

Differences between Open Banking and Open Finance

Data coverage:

Open Banking: Focuses mainly on bank accounts, allowing consumers to share their financial data with third-parties.

Open Finance: Expands to include a wider range of financial products, such as investments, insurance, credit, payments and customer ID.

Service ecosystem:

Open Banking: Initially limited to payment services and bank accounts.

Open Finance: Incorporates more complex and diversified services, allowing for greater personalization and allowing more than just financial products to be on offer.

Benefits for consumers:

Open Banking: Facilitates the exchange of information and transparency of services, such as personal financial management and comparison of banking products.

Open Finance: Full control of the use of their data within the Open ecosystem and more visibility of their financial health, empowering consumers to make better decisions and receive more accurate credit recommendations and customized offers.

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Opportunities for Banks in the U.S. and Canada

For large banks, adopting an Open Finance strategy means not only meeting consumer demands for convenience and personalization, but also exploring new revenue streams and strategic partnerships.

As Open Finance emerges as the next step in the evolution of the financial sector, bank technology leaders in the U.S. and Canada face an opportunity to redefine customer relationships and drive internal innovation.

Why Embrace Open Finance?

Comprehensive Financial Management: Enables consumers to integrate various financial accounts and products, offering a holistic view of their finances. This allows for more effective and streamlined financial management.

Enhanced Customer Experience: By accessing a broader range of financial data, service providers can offer highly personalized financial advice, products, and services that are tailor-made to individual needs, improving overall financial well-being.

Better Decision-Making: With greater visibility into their financial health, consumers are empowered to make better informed decisions about spending, saving, investing, and borrowing. Detailed financial data and insights will help optimize financial strategies.

New Revenue Streams: Identify and capitalize on new business opportunities through integrated financial products and services.
Strategic Partnerships: Form valuable alliances with fintechs and other financial service providers to expand your service offerings.
Empowerment and Control: Open Finance empowers consumers by giving them full control over their financial data. They can choose which financial institutions and third-party providers can access their information, leading to a more tailor-made and secure financial experience.

Join the Future of Finance

GFT is at the forefront of this transformation. Our expertise in Open Banking and Open Finance enables us to help financial institutions navigate this new landscape, ensuring compliance, security and innovation.

For more insights into how your institution can position itself at the forefront of Open Finance, explore our tailor-made comprehensive solutions and expertise within the evolving financial landscape. Connect with us to learn how we can help you harness the power of Open Finance to drive growth and deliver exceptional value to your customers.

Embrace the future with GFT and lead the way in Open Finance. Contact with us today to discover how we can support your journey.