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the business potential in PSD2
 

        

    

    



    

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    CAPS - Convenient Access to PSD2 Services
    
    













    
The initiative ‘Convenient Access to PSD2 Services’ (CAPS), is a new and open framework that aims to help banks on their way towards the fulfilment of the business potential in PSD2. The CAPS framework provides joint pan-European PSD2 standardized interfaces and operational procedures. CAPS is the perfect springboard for progressive banks who want to get the most out of PSD2 by introducing open APIs and take the first steps towards the future of Open Banking.






    





















    

    

        

    Why CAPS?
    
    












    
The CAPS framework has been co-developed together with other payment processors, banks and financial service providers in Europe. The aim of this framework is to define joint pan-European PSD2 standards. This includes technical standards, standards of operation procedures, standards for dispute management, and a standard directory which can be used like a search engine and for instance allow for the TPPs to easily reach in principle all of Europe’s around 4,000 banks at once instead of having to reach out to them one at a time.


CAPS’s intention is to avoid a rapidly increasing ‘fragmentation effect’ as a direct result of PSD2, which could lead to plain chaos in the market amongst the many TPPs across Europe and work against EU’s intention of creating a level playing field and an open and competitive market.


 


CAPS Open Framework: four key elements


    

  1. The CAPS Network in order to facilitate easy reach for third parties using a single entry point without bothering about regional flavours, changes and access protocols on the AS-PSP side, directory services and interoperability
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  2. The CAPS Common Language that ensures unambiguous understanding of the messages and data exchanged between the participants where no standard exists
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  3. The CAPS Toolbox will make it easy for a participant to use the CAPS Framework and provides the supporting tools and environments
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  4. The CAPS Infrastructure Services provided by the CAPS Service Providers which manage onboarding and ensure that the CAPS eco-system works at scale and any errors or misunderstandings are resolved fast and efficiently
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    Functionalities
    
    









    

        
    

    

        
        
        
        
Some of the basic and premium services CAPS envisioned to include in the future are:

    

  • Enhanced support for those TPPs that must comply with regulatory and business requirements as a regulated institution, e.g. reporting as a Payment Institution 

  • Services to provide TPPs with out-of-the-box common and legal modern secure authentication mechanisms e.g. to do their own authentication with OAuth 2.0 and Tokens 

  • Enable better fraud monitoring across several channels and banks and geographies and thus make the system more safe and secure for all.

        
        
    





    


    

        

    Value for clients 
    
    









    

        
    

    

        
        
        
        
The benefits to users, merchants, third parties (TPPs) and banks (AS-PSPs) include: 

    

  • Fragmentation across Europe will be reduced

  • All can benefit from a harmonised dispute management

  • All can benefit from transparency, more quality, security and trust

  • Users will benefit from a multiplicity of new services from new TPPs

  • TPPs can access many banks via one interface

  • TPPs can share cost and management of regulatory burden

  • TPPs can benefit from directory services to find users’ banks

  • AS-PSPs and TPPs have aligned updates on PSD2 compliance 

  • AS-PSPs and TPPS have a shared interpretation of data 

We strongly believe that PSD2 has the potential of significantly boosting the use of open APIs in European banking and that CAPS is the perfect framework for progressive banks who wants to monetize on their PSD2 investments and use PSD2 as a springboard for a digital transformation into the Open Banking space.


        
        
    





    





















    

    

        

    More information about CAPS
    
    












    
In September 2016 CAPS published a second, updated white paper describing how the CAPS concept and the CAPS principles are now developed as specific services by the growing number of CAPS Service Providers. CAPS also has its own website.


Download whitepaper (PDF)


Visit CAPS website