Payments NZ API standards Home
Introduction
Welcome to our Confluence space. This is where you can view all published versions of the Payment Initiation, Account Information and Event Notification APIs as well as the (API) Security Profile. We have published supporting documentation to help your understanding of the standards and how to utilise all the different functionalities.
Information on the minimum version of the standards API Providers are currently using is available view on our implementation plan. You can also get in touch directly with each API Provider to find out more.
These specifications are read-only and are publicly available so businesses can think about how they might be used as part of their customer solutions.
Only registered Standards Users of our API Centre have the right to use the standards and form bilateral agreements with other registered Standards Users. To find our more or to apply to become a Standards User, visit our API Centre website.
If you are Accredited under the Customer and Product Data Act 2025, you can view the relevant standards and disclaimer using the ‘quick links’ menu to the right.
The 'NZ Banking Data API specification' defines the common elements applicable to the Payment Initiation, Account Information and Event Notification APIs. This includes defining the process through which a Third Party manages the consenting processes and forms the base of all specific functionality defined in the API specifications.
The 'Security Profile' supports our published APIs and defines the security standards to be used for the API ecosystem. It sets out how a Third Party connects securely to API Providers and compliments the NZ Banking Data Specifications. The published security profiles support the corresponding published version of the standards up to v3.0.0 where the security profile is decoupled from the rest of the functional API specifications.
To view the API specifications, simply click the link for the documentation you’re interested in.
Quick links
Implementation Plan (to see which standards are implemented)
Operational Standards for Customer, Reporting, Compliance, Performance, Register and Data Security
The relevant standards incorporated by reference into the Customer and Product Data (Banking and Other Deposit Taking) Standards 2025 are found here:
Account Information API, Payment Initiation API and the API Security (all v2.3.3) here
Customer Standard v1.1 here
All users should be familiar with our Disclaimer
NZ Banking Data API Specification
These specifications are to be used in the implementation of all API standards. It provides a description of the elements that are common and should be read in conjunction with the Payment Initiation. Account Information API or Event Notification specifications.
The most up to date published specifications can be found below.
Security profile
The security profile defines how Standards Users will securely and safely interact with industry standardised APIs. It is built on top of layers of proven financial grade security best practice and has been tailored to the NZ market to support Open Banking uses.
From version 3.0.0 onwards, the security profile has been decoupled from the rest of the functional specs and will be managed independently of the other API specifications.
The most up to date published specifications can be found below.
Account Information
Account Information will enable registered Third Party standards users, with customer consent, to access specific financial information relating to an account. This specification is unique to the implementation of this API.
The most up to date published specifications can be found below.
Payment Initiation
Payments Initiation will enable registered Third Party standards users, with customer consent, to set up and make an electronic credit payment by connecting directly and safely with banks. This specification is unique to the implementation of this API.
The most up to date published specifications can be found below.
Event notification
Enables allow Third Parties to establish subscriptions to be notified of changes to API provider resources. Establishing a subscription is optional for Third Parties, but if they choose to subscribe they must provide an endpoint as defined in the standard. This specification is unique to the implementation of this API.
The most up to date published specifications can be found below.
Disclaimer
By using these Standards, you acknowledge that Payments NZ Limited ("Payments NZ") makes the Standards available on an "as is" basis without any warranty, guarantee or representation of any kind. You assume all risks and liability inherent in your use of these Standards. Payments NZ is not responsible or liable to you for any loss, claims, damages, costs and expenses or other liability of any kind (whether arising in contract, tort including negligence, in equity, under statute or otherwise) ("Claims") arising from or in any way related to these Standards or your use of them, and (to the maximum extent permitted by law) you hereby release and waive all such Claims against Payments NZ. For the purposes of this disclaimer "Payments NZ" includes members of the Payments NZ API Council, members of the API Independent Committee, the Board and Chief Executive of Payments NZ, and the officers, employees and agents of Payments NZ or the API Centre.
Copyright notice and attribution: © Payments NZ (2024) and its licensors. Payments NZ reserves all of its rights. You may access and view these Standards but no other right or licence is granted to you. This Standard includes copyright materials owned and licensed by the OpenID Foundation. Changes have been made. The OpenID Foundation does not endorse this Standard. This Standard has adapted copyright materials from the UK Open Banking Standards that are owned by Open Banking Limited and licensed to Payments NZ under the following MIT licence: "Copyright 2023 Open Banking Limited. Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE"