FinTech Developer
FinTech developers work at the boundary of software engineering and financial regulation. Writing a payment API spec, documenting PCI-DSS evidence, or explaining a 3DS authentication flow all demand exact language — ambiguity can cause failed audits or rejected integrations. This path builds the vocabulary to communicate clearly with compliance officers, banking partners, and product teams in the language of financial services.
Topics covered
- payment protocols
- ISO 20022
- PCI-DSS compliance
- open banking
- API security in finance
- regulatory vocabulary
Vocabulary spotlight
4 terms every FinTech Developer should know in English:
The EU Payment Services Directive 2 — regulation requiring banks to open their APIs to third-party providers via open banking
"PSD2 compliance means we need to implement Strong Customer Authentication on all transactions above €30."
The process of reconciling and confirming payment instructions between banks before settlement
"Clearing typically takes one business day, so the funds are not immediately available."
The actual transfer of funds between financial institutions to complete a payment
"Settlement happens in a separate batch process after clearing confirms the transaction."
A global standard for financial messaging that uses structured XML data formats to replace older legacy formats like SWIFT MT
"Migrating to ISO 20022 gives us richer remittance data alongside each payment."
Financial Information eXchange — a messaging standard used for real-time electronic trading of securities
"The trading desk requires FIX protocol support to route orders to the exchange."
A controlled environment provided by a financial regulator where firms can test innovative products under relaxed rules
"We applied to the FCA regulatory sandbox to pilot our new payment product before full authorisation."
📚 Vocabulary Reference
Key terms organised by category for FinTech Developers:
Payments
Compliance & Regulation
Protocols & Standards
Security
Recommended exercises
Real-world scenarios you'll practise
- Documenting a payment API so a banking partner can integrate without a technical call.
- Writing PCI-DSS compliance evidence for a QSA audit, explaining controls in plain English.
- Explaining a 3DS authentication flow to a product manager who needs to design the user journey.