The DiscoFi API

Authentication

Requests authenticate with a secret key in the Authorization header. Keys are managed in the dashboard (Settings → API keys); test keys exercise the sandbox ledger.

Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx

Create a payout

One call creates the payout, runs the transaction-monitoring gate, selects the rail, and writes both ledger legs. Rail selection is automatic; pass rail only to constrain it to rtp or fednow.

curl https://api.trydiscofi.com/api/payouts \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "recipientId": "rcp_7f2d",
  "amountCents": 240000,
  "memo": "Race day crew",
  "rail": "rtp"
}'

{
  "transferId": "tr_91c4",
  "chainId": "ch_2210",
  "status": "processing",
  "fee": {
    "amountCents": 120,
    "basisPoints": 5
  },
  "activation": {
    "wasFirst": false,
    "secondsSinceApproval": null
  }
}

Recipients

A recipient is created once and paid many times. Creating one triggers the verification invite; the record carries its own status so you can see who is ready to pay.

curl https://api.trydiscofi.com/api/recipients \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "firstName": "Jordan",
  "lastName": "Avery",
  "email": "jordan@example.com",
  "type": "individual"
}'

{
  "recipientId": "rcp_7f2d",
  "status": "pending_kyc"
}

status moves to verified when the recipient completes verification; businesses pass type: "business" with a company name.

Fund your balance

Balances fund over ACH from a linked bank, or by requesting the money over RTP with a Request for Payment when it needs to arrive before a batch goes out.

curl https://api.trydiscofi.com/api/funding/ach \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "externalBankId": "bnk_31aa",
  "amountCents": 5000000,
  "memo": "Settlement float"
}'

{
  "transferId": "tr_44b0",
  "chainId": "ch_5921",
  "status": "processing"
}

POST /api/funding/rfp takes the same shape plus a subledgerId and returns { requestId, expiresAt }: the response is the receipt, and the funds move when the payer’s bank approves, announced by the payment.rfp.response_received event.

Payout lifecycle

Every transfer moves through a small, explicit status set. Ledger postings happen only on settlement, so the books never show money that has not actually moved.

Live status

Status changes stream over server-sent events, so a dashboard or your own system sees each payout clear without polling.

event: payout.status_changed
data: { "transferId": "tr_91c4", "status": "completed" }

Errors & declines

Validation problems return standard HTTP errors. A payment the transaction-monitoring gate declines is its own case: the API answers 422 with the limit that declined it and why, so your system can show the reason instead of a shrug.

HTTP/1.1 422 Unprocessable Entity

{
  "approved": false,
  "declinedBy": {
    "limitId": "txn_cap",
    "reason": "Exceeds per-transaction limit"
  }
}

The gate runs inside the payment call, before any transfer is created, so a declined payment never touches the ledger.

Pay by link

For a recipient you will pay once, generate a secure claim link instead of collecting bank details up front. The recipient opens it and connects their own bank to receive the money; you get the link.claimed event when they do.

curl https://api.trydiscofi.com/api/links \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "amountCents": 75000,
  "note": "Local crew, night of Aug 30",
  "recipientHint": "Sam R."
}'

{
  "token": "8FK2QX",
  "url": "https://trydiscofi.com/receive/8FK2QX",
  "amountCents": 75000
}

Links pass the same monitoring gate as payouts when created, expire if unclaimed, and an unclaimed link can be revoked with POST /api/links/:token/cancel.

Activity & balance

Two reads cover most operational questions. Activity is filterable by date range, status and free text; balance splits available, ledger and held funds.

GET /api/customers/me/activity?from=2026-08-01&status=completed
GET /api/customers/me/balance

{
  "available": 1084723000,
  "ledger": 1084723000,
  "hold": 0,
  "currency": "USD"
}

Rails & timing