60 seconds with Maciej Kostro, Polish API Project Leader, Polish Bank Association

OpenBankingExpo
17 Jul 2019

Q: Explain what you do in less than 50 words

I am organizing the dialogue between banks and third parties and taking care of how secure communication based on APIs should look like. I am trying to understand and to adopt all regulatory requirements related to PSD2 services.

Q: Why did you choose to join the panel debate on “PSD2 Open Banking API standards” at Open Banking Expo Europe?

PolishAPI standard is a very important part of the open banking European landscape. We are in the middle of a discussion and questions like “Can Open Banking ever really take off with more than one standard?” are tough but vital. I have to face it!

Q: What are the biggest challenges the financial services industry faces in meeting the PSD2 deadline on 14 September?

Regulatory uncertainty, imprecise requirements, lack of customers’ awareness.

Q: What can the audience expect to learn and hear about during your session? 

The European payment market is diversified, differences are apparent on many levels: digital maturity, adoption of the innovations, the share of third parties, etc. I hope that the audience could expect a better understanding of these differences.    

Q: What do you think the financial services industry will look like in 10 years’ time as a result of Open Banking? Will much have changed?

Such long predictions are risky, especially nowadays. The banking sector is afraid of a position of Big Techs in the financial area and Open Banking could accelerate their attempts to disrupt the industry. But maybe banks should become “IT companies with banking licenses”?

Q: What innovation do you see in Open Banking in the next 12 months?

Open Banking as such, IS something new. We can argue whether it is a real innovation or not. Do I expect yet other innovations within Open Banking? Of course, we have just started, defined the foundations (e.g. API standards), now it’s time for new business ideas. 

 

Maciej Kostro

PolishAPI Project Leader

Polish Bank Association