Getting Started

Every lending integration follows the same three-step setup: represent your applicant as an Entity, verify their identity, and discover their complete liability picture. This guide walks through each step with full API calls for a loan applicant named James Rodriguez. As a lender, the goal of this flow is to go from a name and phone number to a complete view of everything the applicant owes (credit cards, auto loans, student loans, personal loans, and mortgages) in a single session. This is the foundation for DTI calculations, underwriting decisions, and eventual loan disbursement.

Create the Entity

Start by creating an Entity with the applicant’s PII. For lending use cases, providing more identity data (SSN last 4, date of birth, address) significantly improves match rates during account discovery.

Show request & response

curl https://production.methodfi.com/entities \
  -X POST \
  -H "Method-Version: 2026-03-30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_WyZEWVfTcH7GqmPzUPk65Vjc" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "individual",
    "individual": {
      "first_name": "James",
      "last_name": "Rodriguez",
      "phone": "+12125550456",
      "email": "james.rodriguez@email.com",
      "dob": "1989-03-22",
      "ssn_4": "5678"
    },
    "address": {
      "line1": "456 Oak Ave",
      "line2": null,
      "city": "Brooklyn",
      "state": "NY",
      "zip": "11201"
    }
  }'

{
  "id": "ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA",
  "type": "individual",
  "individual": {
    "first_name": "James",
    "last_name": "Rodriguez",
    "phone": "+12125550456",
    "dob": "1989-03-22",
    "email": "james.rodriguez@email.com",
    "ssn_4": "5678",
    "ssn": null
  },
  "error": null,
  "address": {
    "line1": "456 Oak Ave",
    "line2": null,
    "city": "Brooklyn",
    "state": "NY",
    "zip": "11201"
  },
  "status": "incomplete",
  "verification": {
    "identity": {
      "verified": false,
      "matched": false,
      "latest_verification_session": null,
      "methods": [
        "element",
        "byo_kyc"
      ]
    },
    "phone": {
      "verified": false,
      "latest_verification_session": null,
      "methods": [
        "sna",
        "byo_sms"
      ]
    }
  },
  "connect": null,
  "credit_score": null,
  "products": [
    "identity"
  ],
  "restricted_products": [
    "connect",
    "credit_score",
    "attribute"
  ],
  "subscriptions": [],
  "available_subscriptions": [
    "connect",
    "credit_score"
  ],
  "restricted_subscriptions": [],
  "metadata": null,
  "created_at": "2025-09-15T14:22:31.424Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-09-15T14:22:31.424Z"
}

The Entity is created with status: "incomplete". The applicant still needs to verify their identity before Method can discover their accounts.

Including ssn_4 and dob at entity creation gives Method more data points to match against credit bureau records during Connect, which improves account discovery rates.

Verify Identity

Before Method can pull the applicant’s credit data, you need to verify their identity. This is a two-step process: first verify the phone number, then verify the person’s identity.

For lending flows where you already verify the applicant in your own onboarding, BYO SMS and BYO KYC let you assert those results to Method in a single call each. Both require your team to be pre-authorized, so contact your Method CSM to enable them.

Step 1 - Phone verification (BYO SMS):If you already verify phone numbers in your own onboarding, use BYO SMS to assert that result to Method. Pass the ISO 8601 timestamp of when you verified the number.

Show phone verification request

curl https://production.methodfi.com/entities/ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA/verification_sessions \
  -X POST \
  -H "Method-Version: 2026-03-30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_WyZEWVfTcH7GqmPzUPk65Vjc" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "phone",
    "method": "byo_sms",
    "byo_sms": {
      "timestamp": "2026-03-30T12:00:00.000Z"
    }
  }'

Step 2 - Identity verification (BYO KYC):With the phone verified, assert your own KYC result with BYO KYC. By creating this session you’re confirming that your external KYC process passed for this applicant. Method trusts your KYC result, with no constraints on which vendor you use.

Show identity verification request

curl https://production.methodfi.com/entities/ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA/verification_sessions \
  -X POST \
  -H "Method-Version: 2026-03-30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_WyZEWVfTcH7GqmPzUPk65Vjc" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "identity",
    "method": "byo_kyc",
    "byo_kyc": {}
  }'

The response includes byo_kyc: { authenticated: true }, confirming the verification was recorded.After both steps, the Entity is active:

Show active entity response

{
  "id": "ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA",
  "type": "individual",
  "individual": {
    "first_name": "James",
    "last_name": "Rodriguez",
    "phone": "+12125550456",
    "dob": "1989-03-22",
    "email": "james.rodriguez@email.com",
    "ssn_4": "5678",
    "ssn": null
  },
  "error": null,
  "address": {
    "line1": "456 Oak Ave",
    "line2": null,
    "city": "Brooklyn",
    "state": "NY",
    "zip": "11201"
  },
  "status": "active",
  "verification": {
    "identity": {
      "verified": true,
      "matched": true,
      "latest_verification_session": "evf_Rm7kLnXw4PjTq",
      "methods": []
    },
    "phone": {
      "verified": true,
      "latest_verification_session": "evf_P4QXNj93Y9J8L",
      "methods": []
    }
  },
  "connect": null,
  "credit_score": null,
  "products": [
    "identity",
    "connect",
    "credit_score",
    "attribute"
  ],
  "restricted_products": [],
  "subscriptions": [],
  "available_subscriptions": [
    "connect",
    "credit_score"
  ],
  "restricted_subscriptions": [],
  "metadata": null,
  "created_at": "2025-09-15T14:22:31.424Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-09-15T14:23:48.106Z"
}

Notice that connect, credit_score, and attribute have moved from restricted_products to products. The applicant is now eligible for account discovery.The Entity’s products and restricted_products arrays indicate which platform capabilities are unlocked based on the entity’s verification status. Before verification, most products are restricted. After verification, they unlock. You’ll see a similar pattern at the account level: each discovered account has its own products array that reflects what Method can do with that specific liability, based on Method’s coverage of the creditor.

Connect Liabilities

With the Entity verified, call Connect to discover all of the applicant’s liability accounts via a soft credit pull (no impact to their credit score).

Show request & response

curl https://production.methodfi.com/entities/ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA/connect \
  -X POST \
  -H "Method-Version: 2026-03-30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_WyZEWVfTcH7GqmPzUPk65Vjc"

{
  "id": "cxn_4ewMmBbjYDMR4",
  "entity_id": "ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA",
  "status": "completed",
  "accounts": [
    "acc_WqNhMRNVZjbKg",
    "acc_nPvJM9KXRwQE4",
    "acc_TmGPLxkz7Nrh6",
    "acc_RkFqVbD8HjQxP",
    "acc_YXDrjADGjC76U",
    "acc_KpLnWzFt9Mjd3"
  ],
  "requested_products": [],
  "requested_subscriptions": [],
  "error": null,
  "created_at": "2025-09-15T14:24:12.339Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-09-15T14:24:12.339Z"
}

Method discovered 6 liability accounts across multiple creditors. Each account ID maps to a specific debt obligation. You can retrieve any account to see its liability details:

Show request & response

curl https://production.methodfi.com/accounts/acc_WqNhMRNVZjbKg \
  -H "Method-Version: 2026-03-30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_WyZEWVfTcH7GqmPzUPk65Vjc"

{
  "id": "acc_WqNhMRNVZjbKg",
  "holder_id": "ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA",
  "status": "active",
  "type": "liability",
  "liability": {
    "mch_id": "mch_183",
    "mask": "4021",
    "ownership": "primary",
    "fingerprint": "8a3c91f2b7e4d6a0c5f1e8b3d9a7c4f2e6b0d8a1",
    "type": "credit_card",
    "sub_type": "flexible_spending",
    "name": "Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card"
  },
  "latest_verification_session": null,
  "update": null,
  "balance": null,
  "card_brand": null,
  "payment_instrument": null,
  "products": ["balance", "update", "payment"],
  "restricted_products": ["sensitive"],
  "subscriptions": [],
  "available_subscriptions": ["update", "update.snapshot"],
  "restricted_subscriptions": [],
  "error": null,
  "metadata": null,
  "created_at": "2025-09-15T14:24:12.339Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-09-15T14:24:12.542Z"
}

Understanding Account ProductsThe products array tells you what Method can do with this account. Each discovered account comes with a products list and a restricted_products list based on the account type and Method’s coverage for that merchant:

Product	What it means
`balance`	Retrieve the current balance for this account (from credit report data).
`update`	Pull real-time data (current balance, APR, due dates, payment amounts) directly from the financial institution.
`payment`	Send payments to this account through Method. Method has a payment rail to this creditor.
`sensitive`	Access full account numbers. Gated, requires additional account verification.

If payment is in products, Method has payment coverage for this merchant and you can route funds to this account. If it’s in restricted_products or absent entirely, payments aren’t available for this account.This distinction matters most for lending workflows. If your product involves paying off a borrower’s existing debts (debt consolidation, enforced paydown), you need payment in the account’s products array for each target account. Accounts without payment coverage can still provide data for underwriting and DTI calculations via balance and update, but disbursement to those creditors would need to happen through your own payment rails.Compare the Chase card above with the FedLoan student loan, which has different product availability:

Show request & response

curl https://production.methodfi.com/accounts/acc_RkFqVbD8HjQxP \
  -H "Method-Version: 2026-03-30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_WyZEWVfTcH7GqmPzUPk65Vjc"

{
  "id": "acc_RkFqVbD8HjQxP",
  "holder_id": "ent_qKNBB68bfHGNA",
  "status": "active",
  "type": "liability",
  "liability": {
    "mch_id": "mch_302451",
    "mask": "7892",
    "ownership": "primary",
    "fingerprint": "d4f2a8c1e6b0d9a3c7f5e2b8d1a4c6f0e3b9d7a2",
    "type": "student_loan",
    "sub_type": "federal",
    "name": "FedLoan Student Loan"
  },
  "latest_verification_session": null,
  "update": null,
  "balance": null,
  "card_brand": null,
  "payment_instrument": null,
  "products": ["balance", "update"],
  "restricted_products": ["payment", "sensitive"],
  "subscriptions": [],
  "available_subscriptions": ["update", "update.snapshot"],
  "restricted_subscriptions": [],
  "error": null,
  "metadata": null,
  "created_at": "2025-09-15T14:24:12.339Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-09-15T14:24:12.542Z"
}

This account’s products array contains balance and update but not payment. Method can pull real-time data from FedLoan, but payment routing to this servicer isn’t currently available.The applicant’s discovered accounts represent the following debts:

Account ID	Creditor	Type	Estimated Balance	Available Products
`acc_WqNhMRNVZjbKg`	Chase Freedom Flex	Credit Card	$3,200	balance, update, payment
`acc_nPvJM9KXRwQE4`	Discover it	Credit Card	$1,800	balance, update, payment
`acc_TmGPLxkz7Nrh6`	Toyota Motor Credit	Auto Loan	$18,450	balance, update, payment
`acc_RkFqVbD8HjQxP`	FedLoan	Student Loan	$34,200	balance, update
`acc_YXDrjADGjC76U`	Upstart	Personal Loan	$12,000	balance, update, payment
`acc_KpLnWzFt9Mjd3`	Rocket Mortgage	Mortgage	$245,000	balance, update

This is the complete liability picture you need for DTI calculations and underwriting. Four of the six accounts support payment, meaning Method can route funds directly to those creditors. The remaining two (FedLoan and Rocket Mortgage) provide data through balance and update but don’t currently support payment disbursement through Method.In the next guides, you’ll see how to pull real-time balances via update and initiate payments to accounts that support it.

What’s Next

Application & Qualification

Debt Consolidation

​What’s Next

Application & Qualification

Debt Consolidation

What’s Next