Deutsche Bank has enabled real-time application programming interface (APIs) access for treasury clients through an agreement with enterprise resource management company FinLync, the bank announced Wednesday.

The $1.4 trillion Deutsche Bank, which began its API work in 2015, already enables corporate clients to connect directly to its 4,000 developer-strong Developer Portal for self-service onboarding and testing of open APIs. The new integration, which is already live, will see the bank embed its APIs into treasury enterprise resource planning (ERPs) via FinLync’s plug-and-play technology. This overcomes logistical hurdles in integrating with multiple bank APIs, Kerstin Montiegel, Deutsche Bank global head of client connectivity and digital client access channels, told Bank Automation News.

“Other clients prefer to leverage pre-built API connectivity and direct ERP integration,” Montiegel said. “It’s all about making integration with our APIs as easy and fast as possible by making them available right within the apps our clients use.”

Deutsche Bank’s API stack ranges from real-time transaction data and account balance access to instant transaction reconciliation and cash flow forecasting, while also allowing clients to integrate instant payments and beneficiary account validation. The bank’s treasury APIs integrate directly into FinLync’s standard offering, Mitch Thomas, FinLync head of North American delivery-treasury, told BAN.

“Any of our clients that use Deutsche Bank can immediately recognize the value of their APIs, because we’ve already prebuilt all of those data exchanges,” Thomas said. “It’s a matter of getting credentials from Deutsche Bank, installing that credential in the FinLync platform, and then receiving all that real-time data.”

Deutsche Bank’s announcement fits a trend of big banks working to embed real-time treasury APIs; Thomas broke out $4 trillion JPMorgan Chase, $3.24 trillion Bank of America, $2.3 trillion Citi, and $2.96 trillion British bank HSBC as “heavy hitters” that all have integrated APIs into their platforms.

“Banks are investing a ton of money into API’s and digital channels to provide real-time channels and communication for their corporate clients,” Thomas said.

Open door on future API partnerships

While FinLync will play a critical part in Deutsche Bank’s treasury automation push, the door is open on future developments, Montiegel said.

“We do continue partnering where it makes sense,” she said. “Our partnership with FinLync is non-exclusive, meaning that we will announce similar partnerships in the near-time future to further accelerate API adoption among our clients.”

Treasury automation will remain a key component of the bank’s tech activities, and Montiegel highlighted process automation, operational risk reduction and real-time payments as key.

“Deutsche Bank is live with digital signatures in more than 60 countries, automated scanning recognition and processing of documents to speed up account opening — all making it smoother for clients to integrate with the bank and setting forth their own automation levels,” Montiegel said.

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