Version 3.1.5 of the Open Banking Standard includes new features to help participants further improve Open Banking services. The Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) is pleased to announce the publication of the Open Banking Standard, version 3.1.5 – including updates to the Read/Write API Specification, Customer Experience Guidelines (CEGs) and Operational Guidelines (OGs). This is a minor update to version 3.1.4 which was released in December 2019. Based on feedback from participants within the ecosystem, this version provides clarifications to previous versions and introduces the following enhanced functionality, with guidelines to enable new features to be introduced in the ecosystem: Technical Design Authority decisions: See API specification version control for full details. Updated PIS wireframes (where account selection happens at the ASPSP) to illustrate HCC policy statements requirements for ASPSPs Further guidance for ASPSPs and TPPs around displaying TPP and Agent names during the provision of open banking services to reflect this knowledge base article Additional details on the “Set Up” and “Consent” stages of the customer journey to enable guidance on clearer explanation of the value exchange between the consumer and TPP Inclusion of new EBA Guidelines regarding KPIs for availability and performance that an ASPSP should have in place for each their dedicated interface(s) Guidelines for TPP’s which cover Change Management, Data Ethics, Data Privacy, Contract & Supplier Management and Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Guidelines for TPP’s which cover: The data sharing customer journey, including techniques for customer communication and improving customer comprehension. Security, counter-fraud measures, operational excellence & testing. The following artefacts have been updated: API Specification Customer Experience Guidelines Operational Guidelines MI reporting requirement for ASPSPs We have also introduced visual enhancements to all user journeys and wireframes, which in themselves do not introduce any changes to meaning or requirements for either ASPSPs or TPPs. – – – ENDS – – – For further information, please contact: press@openbanking.org.uk About Us Open Banking is a new, secure way for customers to take control of their financial data and share it with organisations other than their banks. Open Banking has the power to revolutionise the way we move, manage and make more of our money. For businesses, it is about making the management of cashflow and receiving payments cheaper and easier. Open Banking will make things simpler, faster and more convenient. Open Banking follows the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into the supply of personal current accounts (PCAs) and of banking services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Open Banking was created to enable innovation, transparency and competition in UK financial services. It is tasked with delivering the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), data structures and security architectures that will enable developers to harness technology, making it easy and safe for individuals and SMEs to share the financial information held by their banks with third parties. Open Banking will bring substantial benefits. It gives customers and SMEs greater market choice and greater control over their money and associated data, along with better and easier access to new financial services providers in a secure environment. Notes to Editors: 1. Open Banking Ltd was set up by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) in September 2016 to fulfil one of the remedies mandated by the CMA following an investigation into UK retail banking. 2. The CMA’s investigation into the retail banking market (whose findings were published in August 2016) concluded that older and larger banks do not compete hard enough for customers’ business and that Open Banking should deliver a new, secure option for customers to be able to compare the deal they are getting from their bank. 3. Open Banking was created to enable innovation, transparency and competition to UK financial services. It is tasked with delivering the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), data structures and security architectures that will make it easy and safe for customers to share their financial records by January 2018. 4. The data provided by Open Banking will enable developers to harness technology that allows individuals and businesses to share their financial records held by their banks with third parties. 5. Open Banking is a private body; its governance, composition and budget was determined by the CMA. It is funded by the UK’s nine largest current account providers and overseen by the CMA, the Financial Conduct Authority and Her Majesty’s Treasury. 6. The 9 mandated institutions (referred to as the CMA9) are: Barclays plc, Lloyds Banking Group plc, Santander, Danske, HSBC, RBS, Bank of Ireland, Nationwide and AIBG.