Rails and Channels

Overview

Rails define the underlying transfer networks and methods available for moving money, while channels represent specific implementations of those rails with pricing, limits, and operational parameters.

Key Concepts

Rails

A rail represents a payment network or transfer mechanism with standardized characteristics:

• Bank networks: SEPA, SWIFT, ACH, Faster Payments
• Blockchain networks: Ethereum, Tron, Polygon, Base
• Local payment systems: PIX (Brazil), SPEI (Mexico), regional networks
• Processing speed: From instant to several business days
• Schema requirements: Technical format specifications for account details

Channels

A channel is a specific implementation of a rail with operational parameters:

• Currency support: Which currency the channel processes
• Fee structure: Basis points (bps) + fixed fees
• Transaction limits: Minimum and maximum amounts
• Transfer direction: Deposits, withdrawals, or both
• KYC requirements: Identity verification levels needed

Channel Types

• withdrawal: Send money out to external accounts
• deposit: Receive money with a fixed quote (time-limited)
• static_deposit: Receive money via virtual account (no quote needed)

Get Available Channels

Retrieve all enabled payment channels with their specifications and pricing.

GET /v1/channels

Response

Returns an array of available payment channels with their supported rails, currencies, fees, and capabilities.

{
  "channels": [
    {
      "rail": "sepa",
      "currency_code": "EUR",
      "fee_bps": 36,
      "fee_fixed": "0.90",
      "type": "withdrawal",
      "kyc_levels": [],
      "rail_settings": {
        "speed": "Instant",
        "memo_config": {
          "max_characters": 35,
          "min_characters": 6
        },
        "schemas": ["bank_sepa"]
      }
    },
    {
      "rail": "ach",
      "currency_code": "USD",
      "fee_bps": 30,
      "fee_fixed": "0.50", 
      "type": "withdrawal",
      "kyc_levels": [],
      "rail_settings": {
        "speed": "1-2 days",
        "memo_config": {
          "max_characters": 10,
          "min_characters": 0
        },
        "schemas": ["bank_us"]
      }
    },
    {
      "rail": "ethereum",
      "currency_code": "USDC",
      "fee_bps": 0,
      "fee_fixed": "0.00",
      "type": "withdrawal", 
      "kyc_levels": [],
      "rail_settings": {
        "speed": "Instant",
        "memo_config": null,
        "schemas": ["evm"]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Response Fields

Rail Settings

Memo Configuration

Available Payment Rails

The API supports multiple payment networks including:

• Bank transfers: SEPA (Europe), ACH/Wire (US), Faster Payments (UK), SWIFT (Global)
• Local networks: PIX (Brazil), SPEI (Mexico), MENA (Middle East), various Asian/African systems
• Cryptocurrency: Ethereum-compatible networks (USDC), Tron (USDT)

Each rail has different processing speeds, geographic coverage, and currency support. Use the /channels endpoint to see the complete list of available rails and their current specifications.

Account Detail Schemas

Different payment rails require specific account detail formats when creating quotes and transfers. The schemas field in each channel's rail_settings indicates which formats are accepted for that rail.

For detailed information on schema formats, please see Schema.