HSBC has announced it is launching Treasury APIs. The APIs are designed to offer the bank’s business clients a faster and more seamless way to transfer funds. Using the APIs, treasurers can make payments from their own workstations, without logging into a proprietary bank platform. Clients receive confirmation that a payment request has been received and can track payments from their accounts to the beneficiary. This should improve the visibility that treasurers have over corporate transactions.

Clients can also use HSBC Treasury APIs to check account balances and transactions on demand, in real-time. This avoids reliance on reports or statements, and can help treasurers to make more dynamic cash management decisions.

“Our APIs respond to rapidly-changing client demands for fast, simple and secure access to payment and account services,” said Nadya Hijazi, head of Digital, Global Liquidity and Cash Management at HSBC. “APIs are the future of corporate-to-bank connectivity, and we are excited to be putting clients at the centre of new developments to help them run and grow their businesses.”

One corporate that is already using the API service is TATA CLiQ, the e-commerce platform of TATA Group. The company is now processing instant refunds to consumers using HSBC Treasury APIs in India.

“Previously we relied on file upload and approval to pay refunds, meaning our customers received their money a day after requesting it – as typically we get refund confirmations from sellers on our platform at the end of the day,” commented Ashish Diwanji, head of Finance and Business Support at Tata Unistore Limited (Tata CLiQ). “With HSBC Treasury APIs, we can trigger payments automatically, 24/7, without any dependency on the CLiQ team being present. This means a much better experience for our customers as they get their money back faster.”

HSBC Treasury APIs are designed to provide secure access to a range of services, making them available directly from a corporate ERP system, treasury workstation or another platform that clients use to run their business.

The APIs can be used for real-time payments, single or bulk payments, and payment status enquiry across a number of markets within Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, including France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, UAE, UK and US.