Appearance

Glossary ​

This article focuses on the definitions of key open banking acronyms.

Account Information Service Providers (AISP) ​

An authorized Third Party Provider (TPP) that retrieves account data to provide aggregated information to the end user.

In the context of Open Banking, an AISP has read-only access. They can view account details and transaction history but cannot initiate payments or move money.

  • Common examples: Budgeting apps, price comparison websites, and account aggregators.
  • Treezor context: When a developer uses the Treezor API to display a user's balance from an external bank within their app, that app is acting as an AISP.

Account Servicing Payment Service Providers (ASPSP) ​

The financial institution that maintains the payment account for the end user. In the Open Banking ecosystem, the ASPSP is responsible for providing the API that allows third parties (TPPs) to access account information or initiate payments securely.

  • Role: They "service" the account and hold the funds.
  • Treezor context: Treezor acts as the ASPSP. We provide the infrastructure and the API Reference that allows authorized TPPs to connect to our cardholders' accounts.

Payment Service User (PSU) ​

The regulatory term for the end user or the legal entity that owns the payment account.

The PSU is the person interacting with the application. For security purposes, the PSU is the individual who must perform 2-factor authentication (SCA) to authorize a TPP to access their data or make a payment.

  • Synonyms: Cardholder, account holder.
  • Key action: The PSU gives consent.

Third Party Providers (TPP) ​

An umbrella term referring to any authorized online service provider that exists outside of the relationship between the bank (ASPSP) and the end user (PSU).

To operate, a TPP must be regulated and hold a specific license (AISP for data, PISP for payments).

  • Relationship: TPPs consume the Treezor API to build financial products.
  • Security: TPPs must identify themselves using digital certificates (QWACs/QSealCs) during the onboarding and connection process.