Fintech App Development: Engineering a 100-Country Payment Platform PlanetX

Description

PlanetX is a streamlined API that businesses and individuals use to move money effortlessly across borders. When a top Singaporean bank needed to develop a smart, scalable solution to handle cross-border payments, they turned to us. What started as a specialized API for processing bulk transactions quickly evolved into a powerful fintech platform for managing payments in over 100 countries.
Technologies
Frontend:Node.js, Flutter
Backend:Nest.js, PostgreSQL, Cognito, Kafka
Environment:AWS: E2, S3, Gateway, Load Balancer, Cognito, Kafka
Our role and company services
Product Management, Project Management, UI/UX Design, Backend, Frontend, QA, Support

The challenge

The client was looking for a tech partner with substantial experience in fintech and payment platform development. They needed a fresh perspective on the product idea and the app design and a trusted vendor to handle micromanagement and control the project cost.

The original development request was simple: handle bulk payments for a few countries. But things changed fast — the project needed to scale, enabling single payments across 100+ countries.

We also faced the challenge of working in sync with the bank's own API development, which meant building features and finding solutions without seeing their system upfront.

Midway through, two new financial integration partners came into play, adding complexity to an already dynamic setup. Flexibility, adaptability, and speed were key here.

Project management

This wasn't a typical project for our firm. PlanetX was a sister product to another client company's fintech initiative, so we needed a flexible approach to manage both simultaneously. We kicked off with a Proof of Concept (PoC) to test the waters, then moved on to the full platform and app implementation.

Transparency was non-negotiable: the client was looped in at every step, from sprint demos to daily check-ins. As the fintech app developed, we took on the Product Owner role, which reflected the level of our involvement in the project.

Our team — backend and frontend development, UI/UX, QA, and project management — was hands-on from day one. The complexity of integrating new partners mid-development didn't slow us down. Instead, it pushed us to think on our feet, fine-tuning the platform to stay ahead of changing requirements.

Focus:

The payment service development, integration with multiple partners, and construction of the overall payout mechanism.

The Rocketech team:

  • Backend Developer
  • Frontend Developer (Admin UI)
  • Team Lead
  • QA Specialist
  • UI Designer
  • Project Manager

The fintech product

PlanetX is a tool for businesses and individuals to manage international B2B, B2C, C2C, and C2B payouts. The app supports transactions to 100+ countries and provides automatic currency conversions.

PlanetX transformed into an all-in-one international payment platform. It provides key app features, robust security, and regulatory compliance — perfect for business transactions, personal remittances, and payroll management.

The platform's API dynamically adjusts required fields based on the country's specific fintech regulations. For example, depending on the destination country, different information (like sender and beneficiary details) may be required.

Key features

Multiple transaction types

  • B2B (Business to Business): Makes it easy for companies to manage international payments from other businesses.
  • B2C (Business to Consumer): Handles both single and bulk payments to customers, with a focus on Asian markets, ensuring prompt payment for services and goods.
  • C2C (Consumer to Consumer): Enables quick and secure money transfers worldwide.
  • C2B (Consumer to Business): Simplifies consumer payments to businesses, improving transaction efficiency.

Fintech API for payments

  • Global coverage: The product's API allows users to send payments to various countries, supporting international transactions.
  • Dynamic fields: Depending on the country, different information is required, and the API dynamically adjusts the fields based on the country's fintech-related regulations.
  • Integration with local systems: The solution supports multiple local payment systems like Singapore's FAST and PayNow, along with traditional SWIFT transfers.

Efficient payout processing

Users can execute single or batch payouts, ensuring flexibility and control over their financial operations. The platform supports various currencies and payout methods, making it suitable for diverse business needs.

Real-time tracking and transparency

As a cutting-edge fintech solution, Aleta Planet's platform provides end-to-end tracking of transactions, allowing users to monitor their payments in real time. This transparency fosters trust and ensures peace of mind, knowing where funds are at any given moment.

Security and compliance

Built with state-of-the-art security measures, PlanetX ensures that all transactions are safe. The platform and the app are licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), adhering to stringent regulatory standards to protect users' funds.

Flexible payment options

Users can choose from multiple channels for sending money, providing flexibility to use the preferred method, whether through bank transfers or popular mobile digital wallets.

User-friendly interface

The platform's intuitive design allows users to easily fund their digital business accounts, select beneficiaries, and submit necessary information for payouts, streamlining the entire process.

Local currency payments

The service supports local currency transactions, helping businesses avoid exchange rate issues and simplifying financial management in target markets in China, India, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The highlight: DBS integration

The project had another significant development milestone — our pioneering fintech integration with DBS, Singapore's top bank. We became the first to access their new API suite, effectively leading their pilot program. This integration not only opened up new possibilities for PlanetX but also positioned us as trusted partners in breaking new ground.
Premium banking integration partner
Payment system integration
Payment system integration
Security penetration testing expert
Global KYC, KYB compliance expert
Transparent international transfer provider
Payment optimization technology leader
Global banking transfer partner

Pitfalls

The biggest development challenge was managing the constantly changing requirements, both internal and external, like adjusting to dynamic market changes, especially during payment app development phases (typical for fintech app environments). This often meant temporarily excluding essential platform features, using mockups, and revisiting tasks later.
Developers had to be creative and understand the client's business to adapt quickly. The need to adjust the team due to varying developer capabilities added to the complexity.

Numbers

100+
countries
1
minute
minimum time for a transaction
1.5
months
from PoC to product launch

The highlight: Bulletproof security

Our security partners Privacy Ninja put PlanetX through rigorous penetration testing and came up with impressive results: the application stood strong against all breach attempts. While we found a few network settings to tune up, the core security architecture proved bulletproof.

Results

Together with the client, we developed a custom Payment Service API for easy and fast payment processing worldwide.
The API is integrated with multiple financial partners to execute seamless payment operations in 100+ countries.
A simple REST API, built on OpenAPI principles, works seamlessly with any platform or development environment.
Users can handle all transactions and access essential information directly through the fintech API without contacting support.
The API automatically adjusts required fields based on the payment type and the destination country or bank.
A webhook service alerts users instantly when the transaction status changes, keeping everything in sync in real time.

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