Account Information Service (AIS)
Asima provides regulated, read-only access to customer bank account data across UK institutions under our FCA authorisation as an Account Information Service Provider (AISP), in line with the Payment Services Regulations 2017 implementing PSD2. With explicit consent and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), we retrieve transaction history, balances and scheduled payments directly from ASPSP APIs via open banking.
We then normalise and enrich this data into a consistent schema to support analytics, reconciliation, affordability checks, onboarding and credit workflows. Businesses embed financial insight quickly, while Asima manages the regulatory perimeter, data security and consent lifecycle as the authorised data aggregator.
Payment Initiation Service (PIS)
As an FCA-authorised Payment Initiation Service Provider (PISP), Asima enables authenticated bank-to-bank payments initiated directly from the Payment Service User's (PSU's) account. Our APIs connect to ASPSPs under the open banking framework, prompting the payer to authenticate using SCA before we submit a validated payment instruction, supporting both one-off and repeatable flows.
Funds settle account-to-account without card schemes, acquirers or PCI DSS scope, typically at lower cost and with reduced friction compared to card payments. Asima orchestrates consent, handles errors and status callbacks and provides a clear settlement signal, so merchants and platforms can embed instant payments without inheriting payment-scheme complexity.
Third party verified accounts
For PIS customers routing funds from PSUs to bank accounts they do not own, Asima offers Third Party Verified Accounts (TPVA). Using AIS-based account confirmation, identity verification and PEPs and Sanctions screening, we verify the ownership and legitimacy of each beneficiary account, then keep that verification under ongoing review through periodic checks and risk-based monitoring.
TPVA is an optional add-on for most PIS clients, but it becomes mandatory where marketplace, platform or similar models require payouts to third-party payees and the customer does not hold its own FCA payment authorisation or operate as an appointed agent. By adopting TPVA, platforms can evidence robust due diligence and beneficiary controls, while Asima provides a cost-effective framework for ongoing screening and audit-ready records.
Asima agent services
Under the Payment Services Regulations, an agent is a firm that provides payment services on behalf of an authorised payment institution. Asima supports prospective agents with structured consultancy before onboarding, including business model assessment, control design, AML/CTF policies and documentation, to ensure activities are compatible with operating under our permissions and within FCA expectations.
Once appointed, Asima acts as Principal and coordinates the required oversight of the agent's activities, including transaction monitoring, financial crime controls, regulatory reporting and periodic reviews. Our supervision framework is aligned with the FCA's focus on principal accountability for agents and appointed representatives, allowing firms to concentrate on product and growth while operating within a clearly governed compliance environment.