1. I am new to APIs. What is the best way to get started?
To get started with FINRA's API Platform first familiarize yourself with the content published here on the API Developer Center starting here.
FINRA's API platform is a sophisticated REST based solution with advanced querying capabilities. Becoming familiar with its features will help you build a proper connection to the platform.
Once familiar with the features of the platform, the next step will be to get access to the API Console hosted on FINRA Gateway.
2. Why is FINRA Providing an API Service?
FINRA's API Service is a strategic FINRA initiative to support the automation goals of member firms and encourage the innovation opportunities that APIs offer to the broader financial services industry.
3. What is the FINRA API Developer Center and what types of data are currently available ?
The API Developer Center is about making it faster and easier for developers to find the information they need to build automated compliance solutions that improve risk management and lower regulatory cost using the FINRA API Platform. Visit our catalog to see which datasets are currently available.
4. What are the fees associated with the API platform?
There are four (4) API account or credential types:
- Mock Credential - provides access to mock data at no cost.
- Public Credential - provides access to publicly available data at no cost. Usage is capped at 10 GB of data download each month.
- Firm Credential - provides FINRA member firms access to the full compliment of API platform features including access to public data and all Firm specific data. Fee is $1650.00/month per firm plus a data overage fee of $250 per 10GB data used beyond an initial 10GB of data usage.
- Organization Credential - provides a non-member organization access to a range of API platform features including public data. Fee is $1650/month per organization plus a data overage fee of $250 per 10GB data used beyond an initial 10GB of data usage.
FINRA member firms may create mock, public, and firm credentials.
Other organizations that are not FINRA member firms may create mock, public, and organization credentials.
Individuals may create mock and public credentials.
Please see the fees section of the API Developer Center for more information.
5. Is there a sandbox or test environment available for the APIs?
Yes, we do have a Test Environment available. FINRA Member Firms or Non member Organizations who have onboarded to the API can refer to the QA Test Environment documentation to get more information about accessing a test environment with realistic data.
We also provide mock datasets containing randomized data that are available to all users. The mock datasets can be accessed using using Mock Credential type. All Mock Credentials provisioned via the API Console access to these mock datasets.
NOTES:
- A Mock Credential can only access datasets identified as "MOCK" datasets. Mock credentials CANNOT be used to access production data and the API user must provision a Firm, Organization, or Public API Credential to access production data.
The mock data is a SAMPLE of the data available in production. It is not the complete dataset available in production.
6. Will FINRA provide technical support to API developers using the API platform?
An API support center is available on the API Developer Center, where you can submit a support request via email. Please review the FAQs on the Support page and on the various Product pages before submitting a support request.
The FINRA API team will do its best to help you overcome any issues getting starting or using the API platform.
7. How can I stay notified about platform status and upcoming API changes?
Users with a FINRA Gateway account with access to the API Console can click the Subscribe button on the News & Updates page. You will be directed to the Notification Preferences page on FINRA Gateway if you are logged in. If you are NOT logged in, you will first be asked to log into FINRA Gateway and then you will be re-directed to the Notification Preferences page. You can then subscribe to the following categories of content under API Developer Center:
- API Platform Status: Notifications dealing with system status of the API Platform
- General: Notifications dealing with general announcements on upcoming features and APIs
- News & Updates: Notifications dealing with latest FINRA API news, upcoming events and releases
If you do not have FINRA Gateway account with access to the API Console, you'll first need to obtain one by referring to the The API Console section under 'Getting Started' in the Documentation page.
8. As a service provider or vendor can I leverage the FINRA APIs on behalf of my customers?
Yes. However, the FINRA member firm must provision a Firm Credential via the FINRA API Console and provide the credential information to the service provider/vendor.
9. I've been utilizing mock data for some time and now have a paid API credential. However, I’m receiving a “forbidden” error when attempting to access production data. What could be the issue?
When transitioning from accessing mock data to accessing production data, please be sure to remove “mock” from the endpoint before submitting your request. Also ensure you are using either Firm or Organization API Credential Type to access non-mock datasets.
10. Is there any registration data that is not available via the FINRA API?
Yes, for security and privacy reasons, Social Security Numbers (SSN) and fingerprint card statuses are not available in the FINRA API.
11. Are there any terms and conditions that my firm or organization should be aware of prior to using the datasets?
Yes, please review additional terms and conditions for datasets on this page.
12. Is financial data, such as equity or fixed income, available via API?
Yes, please visit our catalog of query datasets for available equity and fixed income data. For additional data not currently available via API that may be available across other FINRA platforms, please refer to the following resources:
- TRACE data and licensing
- Daily and monthly historical short sale volume data
- Equity short interest archive
- Fixed income data