Mercury

## Does Mercury offer an API for programmatic money transfers and banking automation?

## Overview Mercury provides a production-grade Application Programming Interface (API) that enables programmatic money transfers and banking automation for all its business accounts. The API is designed with an API-first architecture, allowing for both read and write operations to integrate banking functions directly into a company's software and financial workflows. This functionality permits businesses to automate payments, reconcile transactions, and manage financial data without manual intervention through the standard user interface. ## Key Features The API supports a range of programmatic money movement actions, including the initiation of ACH payments, domestic and international wire transfers, and internal transfers between a user's own Mercury accounts. The API is built on REST conventions and uses JSON for data exchange, making it accessible to developers familiar with standard web technologies. The capabilities extend beyond simple transfers to include more complex financial operations and data management. ## Technical Specifications For read operations, the API allows users to query account information such as routing numbers and real-time balances, as well as retrieve and search complete transaction histories. A dedicated Invoicing API enables the creation, sending, and tracking of invoices, with limits tied to the user's specific plan; for instance, the Plus plan allows 500 invoices per month, while the Pro plan is unlimited. For write operations, the `/createtransaction` endpoint is used for ACH and wire transfers, and the `/createinternaltransfer` endpoint facilitates movements between a user's accounts. The API also supports webhooks, which provide real-time notifications for financial events, allowing systems to react instantly to activities like incoming payments or transaction status changes. ## How It Works Security is a core component of the Mercury API, which employs a token-based authentication model. Users can generate API tokens or use OAuth2 for authentication. A critical security feature is the mandatory IP whitelisting for all tokens with 'Read and Write' permissions, which prevents unauthorized use even if a token is compromised. The API utilizes granular permissions, known as scopes, to restrict access to specific functions; for example, the `SendMoney` scope is required to initiate any money movement. To further enhance security, Mercury enforces automatic token maintenance policies. API tokens are downgraded from write to read-only if write permissions are not used within a 45-day period, and any token that remains completely unused for 45 days is automatically deleted. This policy minimizes the risk associated with dormant, high-privilege credentials. ## Use Cases The API is designed to support various use cases common among technology companies and startups. These include automating mass payouts for marketplaces or creator platforms, streamlining payroll disbursements, and building custom internal dashboards for real-time financial monitoring. Another significant use case is automated reconciliation, where the API is used to pull transaction data and match it against internal records, eliminating the need for manual CSV exports. The API also integrates with Mercury's multi-user approval workflows. The `/requestsendmoney` endpoint allows an API-initiated payment to be submitted into the organization's existing approval chain, ensuring that large or sensitive transactions receive manual sign-off from authorized administrators before execution. This feature provides a crucial layer of internal control, preventing a single user or automated process from moving funds without oversight. ## Limitations and Requirements There are operational limitations and costs associated with the API. While API access is included with the account, programmatic payments have specific limits; for example, users receive 100 free programmatic ACH payments per month, with fees applying thereafter. Companies should consult Mercury's official documentation for the most current information on rate limits, transaction volume restrictions, and any applicable fees for API usage. The availability of a comprehensive sandbox environment allows developers to test all these features thoroughly before deploying to a live production environment. ## Comparison to Alternatives ## Summary