SEB, a leading Nordic corporate bank, has embraced an API-first approach spearheaded by Daniel Franzén, the Head of Open Banking, to modernize its operations and enhance customer experience. This shift was catalyzed by regulatory requirements from 2018 and dissatisfaction with their previous, cumbersome API platform, leading them to partner with Kong for API management. The transition to Kong has enabled SEB to reduce complexity, costs, and time to market while fostering a culture where APIs are integral to both technology and business strategy. As a result, SEB now boasts approximately 200 APIs across its products, which has facilitated new business opportunities and streamlined development processes. The bank's commitment to API governance and the use of multiple API protocols has not only improved internal efficiencies but also attracted new customers, aligning with SEB's vision for all products to be represented by APIs.