Salt Edge and CS recently co-hosted a webinar for Ukrainian financial institutions on Open Banking compliance under the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) ‘s new regulations. The session gathered practitioners and experts to discuss implementation, regulatory expectations, and business opportunities.
Below are the key takeaways from the webinar, delivered by Andrei Scutari, Head of Sales, Open Banking Compliance at Salt Edge, and Dan Martalog, Senior Open Banking Compliance Expert, who explored the main challenges banks face when implementing Open Banking. Representing CS, the session was moderated by Vladimir Olefir, Head of Key Client Support Department, who shared CS’s vision for Open Banking implementation and practical insights from real project experience.
Open Banking compliance is a regulatory priority
The NBU requires banks and other account-servicing payment service providers to comply with Open Banking requirements by early 2026. Key rules include:
- Banks must enable secure API access to customer data for authorised third-party providers (TPPs) for both Account Information Services (AIS) and Payment Initiation Services (PIS).
- Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) must be implemented to secure customer interactions.
- Data sharing must comply with consent and security requirements.
Even though the regulator allows a transitional period without penalties until mid-2026, proactive preparation is vital, as waiting until the last moment increases technical risk and operational complexity.
Implementation is more than API exposure
One clear message from the webinar was that Open Banking compliance extends beyond the creation of APIs. Banks should also consider:
- TPP certificate verification
- Consent management
- Regulatory reporting
- Monitoring and performance tracking
- Supporting multiple TPPs concurrently
- Adjusting to ongoing regulatory changes
Salt Edge’s unified platform supports all these aspects, helping banks preserve compliance without straining internal resources.
Practical support through end-to-end tools
Salt Edge’s Open Banking Compliance platform provides tools that help banks manage key requirements:
- A dashboard for API and TPP monitoring
- Consent management and reporting tools
- Support for Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)
- A developer portal with documentation, sandbox access, and technical support for TPPs.
This infrastructure reduces operational burden and promotes secure, regulated data sharing.
Without a centralised approach, these requirements can quickly become complex and resource-heavy. For Ukrainian banks, the path to NBU compliance is both a regulatory necessity and a step toward more modern, interoperable financial services. By approaching Open Banking as a long-term infrastructure initiative rather than a short-term obligation, institutions can build a foundation that supports both compliance and innovation.
Integration with core banking systems is essential
A major practical consideration for banks is how Open Banking solutions connect with existing core systems. Technical integration remains a challenge for many institutions. Salt Edge and CS explained that integrations, such as connecting to core systems like CBS B2, are managed through a connector layer. This layer bridges the bank’s core systems and the compliance platform, allowing banks to build it internally or collaborate with partners. Early planning in this area is crucial for reducing implementation risks and delays later in the project.
Open Banking unlocks business value beyond compliance
While regulations are the immediate driver, the webinar also highlighted business opportunities enabled by Open Banking:
- Reduced transaction costs: Account-to-account payments can considerably lower expenses compared to traditional card fees.
- Faster settlement: Direct payments from accounts speed up transaction flows and improve user experience.
- Monetisation opportunities: Banks can develop premium APIs to offer advanced services to corporate and retail clients, creating new revenue streams.
Partnering helps accelerate implementation
The partnership between Salt Edge and CS, combined with prior integration experience, enables faster implementation compared to building an in-house solution. A typical project includes:
- Defining technical and business requirements
- Setting up a testing environment
- Building and configuring the integration layer
- Testing with third-party providers
- Deploying to production
- Ongoing support and updates are equally important, as Open Banking frameworks and regulatory criteria continue to evolve.
Salt Edge and CS already have hands-on experience working together on Open Banking projects, combining Salt Edge’s full-stack compliance technology with CS’s local integration expertise and banking-system knowledge. This collaboration enables financial institutions to adopt a proven technology while ensuring smooth technical integration and alignment with local market requirements.
Preparing for the next phase
For Ukrainian banks, early action combined with the right technology and partner support can simplify compliance and unlock future opportunities in digital financial services. With the combined expertise of Salt Edge and CS, financial institutions in Ukraine can accelerate their path to compliance while building a strong foundation for future Open Banking opportunities.
Contact our team to learn how our Open Banking Compliance solution can support your implementation.
About CS
CS is a product IT company founded in 1997 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The company develops software solutions for banks and financial institutions, delivering comprehensive technology ecosystems that combine CS’s proprietary products with Oracle system software and reliable hardware from trusted vendors. CS provides end-to-end implementation and assumes full responsibility for the system’s performance, stability, and reliability.
For more information, visit: csltd.com.ua/en/