APIs play a crucial role in modern enterprises by facilitating innovation, enhancing security, and reducing operational costs, yet they often come with complexities, particularly concerning security. Organizations frequently use fragmented systems for API management and identity management, leading to operational inefficiencies and security risks. Kong Konnect aims to address these challenges by integrating API and identity management into a single platform, offering a streamlined approach to machine-to-machine security. This integration is achieved through Kong Identity, which employs the OAuth 2.0 standard with OpenID Connect to offload authentication and authorization to the API gateway. This approach reduces backend load, maintains a consistent security posture, and simplifies service logic, allowing organizations to manage API access with precision and control. By consolidating these functions, Kong Konnect provides a unified framework that enables faster innovation, improved security, and a better developer experience. The API Summit 2025 will explore these advancements, showcasing how enterprises can modernize their architecture and secure their APIs through a unified platform.