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ImPAI API Platform – Introduction

is a modular, API-driven payments platform built for real-time financial transaction processing across multiple schemes and channels. Its architecture is designed for developers and integrators, offering well-defined RESTful services that expose every major operational function of the platform — from payment initiation to lifecycle management, inquiries, exception handling, and reporting.

At its core, ImPAI uses a microservices architecture to guarantee high scalability, operational resilience, and flexible deployment. Each business domain — such as SEPA Instant, SEPA CT, SWIFT CBPR+, or Swiss SIC Instant — is implemented as an independent set of services that communicate through standardized interfaces and shared platform components.

The ImPAI APIs are designed to be:

  • Consistent — unified design patterns across all schemes and operations
  • Predictable — clear validation logic, standard response formats, and strong idempotency rules
  • Extensible — new payment schemes, connectors, or workflows can be integrated without downtime
  • High-performance — optimized for low-latency real-time operations
  • Secure — aligned with banking-grade authentication, authorization, and audit requirements

This documentation provides a complete technical reference for all available APIs, including message structures, request/response schemas, error patterns, payment lifecycle workflows, and integration examples.

Key Capabilities of the ImPAI API Layer​

ImPAI’s APIs are designed to simplify integration with core banking systems, digital channels, processing hubs, and third-party services.
Key API features include:

  • Unified REST API Model covering initiation, approval, recall, return, resolution, inquiries, reporting, monitoring, and operational functions.

  • Real-Time Processing with end-to-end message validation and immediate lifecycle response wherever applicable.

  • High Throughput Architecture supporting both instant and high-volume batch processing flows.

  • ISO 20022 Native — all payment domain APIs use ISO-compliant structures (pain.001 / pacs.008 / pacs.004 / camt.056 / camt.029 / camt.054).

  • Scheme Independence — the same API principles apply across SEPA Instant, SCT, SDD, SWIFT CBPR+, Swiss SIC, and other local clearing systems.

  • Strict Idempotency & Consistent Identifiers (Global ID, Internal ID, Credit ID) ensuring safe retries and reliable reconciliation.

  • Full Observability with audit logs, structured error responses, and end-to-end tracking IDs.

Supported Domains​

The ImPAI APIs provide full lifecycle coverage for several payment schemes and operational modules:

  • SEPA Instant: End-to-end APIs for instant credit transfer initiation, approval, recall, return, and resolution flows.
  • SEPA Credit Transfers: Standard EUR payments with clearing, settlement, exception handling, and reporting.
  • SEPA Direct Debits: Mandate management, presentation, correction flows, and settlement.
  • SWIFT CBPR+: Cross-border payments aligned to ISO 20022 migration.
  • SWISS Instant: 24/7 domestic instant credit transfers.
  • Verification of Payee: API for beneficiary validation and fraud mitigation.
  • Shadow Balance: Fund reservation and real-time liquidity tracking APIs.

These domains use a consistent API structure and error model, making it easy for developers to extend integrations across multiple schemes.

About This Documentation​

This API documentation is structured to help developers quickly locate the information they need, whether building new integrations or maintaining existing ones.

Where to Start

  • API Concepts & Architecture
    Learn about identifiers, lifecycle states, message patterns, error handling, and the four-eyes approval model.
  • Scheme-Specific API Sections
    Each payment scheme (e.g., SEPA Instant) contains grouped API references:
    • Create (initiate) APIs
    • Approve APIs
    • Recall / Return / Resolution APIs
    • Inquiry / Tracking APIs
    • Operational tools
  • How-to Guides
    Workflow-oriented examples showing how to combine multiple APIs in real scenarios.
  • Swagger / OpenAPI Explorer
    Inline API playgrounds allow you to test requests directly from your browser.

Finding What You Need​

Navigation

  • Use the sidebar to browse API groups by domain or function.
  • Expand sections to access specific endpoints.
  • Use the search bar to locate fields, IDs, error codes, schemas, or endpoint names.

Content Structure

  • Each API entry includes request/response formats, examples, and error patterns.
  • Look for notes, warnings, and best practices for integration guidance.

Interactive API Examples

  • Use integrated SwaggerUI components embedded on each API page.
  • Call endpoints directly from your browser (if permitted by your environment).

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