The purpose of the mobile money API industry specification governance is to ensure all stakeholders in the industry are given the opportunity to input on the future developments of the API specification and to advance the agenda of this industry harmonisation initiative.

All activities undertaken in relation to the GSMA Mobile Money API Specification are:

• Deemed “Industry Specification Activity” and governed by GSMA’s 35: Procedures for Industry Specifications.
• Undertaken in full compliance with the GSMA’s antitrust compliance policy.

The GSMA Mobile Money API specification is for any organisation working in the mobile money industry. It is for mobile money service providers and for technology platform providers, as well as for any company or organisation that offers third party services through mobile money service providers (such as international remittances, bill payments, etc).

Working Group

Convening periodically, the mandate of the GSMA Mobile Money API Specification working group is to contribute towards the advancement of the API specification. Any organisation working with mobile money services, including all providers and consumers of mobile money APIs are invited to join and contribute to the working group, provided they meet the conditions for participation defined under AA.35: Procedures for Industry Specifications. A request to join the working group can be made by contacting the GSMA through the below email for further information. Once joined, participants of the working group can propose RFCs (Request for Comments) or propose amendments to RFCs for updates to the specification.

Any organisation that works with mobile money APIs can contribute to the advancement of the specification through the working group, with conditions for participation defined under AA.35: Procedures for Industry Specifications. The mandate of the working group is to advance the GSMA Mobile Money API specification. All providers and consumers of mobile money APIs are invited to join the working group. To contribute, organisations working with mobile money APIs can join the working group and request for updates to the specification.

Eight use cases are currently specified in the GSMA mobile money API specification. These are merchant payments, disbursements, international transfers, person-to-person transfers, recurring payments, account linking, bill payments, and agent services. More use cases will be added based on industry demand.

The working group focuses on the areas of the specification prioritised by the working group participants.

GSMA Mobile Money API Industry Specification Issuing Group (API ISIG)

ISIG is the group responsible for developing requirements and taking decisions regarding industry specifications within the GSMA. Both members and non-members of the GSMA can participate in ISIG through the working group, based on the conditions stipulated in AA.35: Procedures for Industry Specifications. ISIG members discuss and review the API specifications and RFC proposals before approving them. All decisions made by ISIG are submitted to an Industry Specification Approving Group (ISAG), for final approval.

GSMA Inclusive Tech Lab

The GSMA Inclusive Tech Lab facilitates the Mobile Money API working group and technical proposals for updates to the Mobile Money API Industry Specification. Through the ISIG, the Inclusive Tech Lab prioritises the work plans for which updates are included in particular specification releases. Furthermore, the Inclusive Tech Lab is responsible for the maintenance and updates to the Mobile Money API Specification and associated developer assets.

Collaboration platforms

The community platform is where members of the working group can review, comment and collaborate on proposals for the API specification. Members of the working group will further have access to the GSMA’s InfoCentre2 portal, which is where GSMA members participate in working groups, and drive the technical standardisation for the industry.

To get involved, please learn more about the specification through our developer portal, or contact  the GSMA’s Inclusive Tech Lab at [email protected]