Driving banking innovation in the UK and beyond with Engine by Starling

The Challenge

Many traditional banks struggle to adopt Open Banking due to legacy systems that are difficult to integrate with modern APIs, high costs of infrastructure overhauls, and complex regulatory requirements. These challenges limit their ability to offer seamless, innovative digital services, leaving them behind in an increasingly API-driven financial landscape.

The Solution

Engine by Starling is a cloud-native platform developed by leading UK digital bank Starling. It is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, enabling Financial Institutions to quickly develop and launch digital banking propositions. As the technology arm of Starling Bank, Engine provides a market-ready offering for all core banking products across deposits, savings, cards and loans, and delivers the key capabilities needed from onboarding and payment processing to customer support and AML and fraud. The platform comes with pre-built workflows and processes that have been tested over many years, and is entirely API-enabled, allowing for seamless integration with other systems. 

Engine helps banks overcome legacy system challenges and embrace Open Banking with its modern, API-first architecture. The technology allows banks to embrace digital transformation without the extensive investment typically required, accelerate time to market and gain access to Starling’s cutting-edge banking technology.

Engine has partnered with Ozone API to provide Open API connectivity that meets regulatory standards globally. 

Ozone API is a leader in simplifying the technical challenges of delivering Open Banking and Open Finance solutions. The platform can sit on top of any bank’s existing infrastructure in any market, ensuring that the open APIs are compliant with the relevant, local Open Banking / Open Finance standard—something that is increasingly important as Open Banking regulations evolve worldwide.

The collaboration between Engine and Ozone API provides banks with a powerful combination: a flexible, API-first banking platform with an easy-to-integrate solution that ensures regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions.

Engine and Ozone API are proud to support AMP, a well established bank which offers financial services to over one million customers in Australia and New Zealand. The Engine and Ozone API partnership supports AMP’s new digital proposition which provides a mobile-first experience for underserved small business owners and everyday banking customers in Australia.

The Results 

Engine offers many advantages for banks looking to embrace Open Banking and modernise their operations:

• Global Compliance: By partnering with Ozone API, Engine ensures that banks can meet regulatory requirements in multiple regions, from Europe to the Middle East, and beyond.
• API-First Approach: Engine is built on a modern, scalable architecture that allows easy integration with internal and external systems.
• Real-Time Data Access: A single, comprehensive view of the customer, enabling personalised services.
• De-risk Implementation: Banks can digitally transform with Engine at a fraction of the cost and time compared to traditional core banking transformation projects.

Engine is setting a new benchmark in the digital banking world, providing Financial Institutions worldwide with the tools they need to modernise their systems. Partnering with Ozone API enables Engine to expand their solution to embrace Open Banking capabilities. By replacing legacy systems with a flexible, API-first platform, Engine helps banks improve customer experiences, reduce costs, and comply with global regulatory standards.

Conclusion

Open Banking regulations are evolving globally, but differing approaches and data standards create challenges for cross-border data sharing. While the UK initially focused on competition, broader regulatory alignment is needed to unlock Open Banking’s full potential. Seamless cross-border payments and data exchange will be key to driving global economic growth.

As the global Open Banking landscape continues to evolve, Engine is well-positioned to lead the charge, empowering financial institutions to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions while overcoming the challenges posed by outdated infrastructure.

For banks looking to embark on their own digital transformation journey, Engine provides a clear path forward—one that allows them to embrace the future of finance with confidence.

It was important that our core banking platform could work flexibly for our clients. As a global leader in open banking, Ozone API delivers the ideal plug and play solution for Engine, to help effectively meet the different regulatory standards around the world.

Sam Everington
CEO, Engine by Starling