If you've ever tried to hit a bank's API directly and hit a wall of certificates, registration forms, and regulatory compliance documents — you're not alone. Open banking APIs promise programmatic access to financial data, but the authentication layer is where most developers get stuck.
Here's what's actually going on, and why most teams end up using an aggregator instead.
The three layers of open banking auth
Open banking authentication isn't one thing — it's three things stacked on top of each other:
1. eIDAS / QWAC certificates (the regulatory gate)
