Plaid is a platform that facilitates secure, permissioned data sharing between consumers and financial institutions, emphasizing transparency, control, and security. With over 150 million users linking accounts from more than 12,000 financial institutions, Plaid ensures users can clearly see and control which apps have access to their data through simple consent screens and a consumer portal. It employs three key principles: transparency, data minimization, and enforcement, allowing consumers to manage app connections and data sharing. Financial institutions benefit from Plaid's App Directory and Permissions Manager, which offer real-time visibility into customer connections and the ability to control data sharing. The platform includes robust security measures like authentication protocols, OAuth redirection, secure tokens, and real-time notifications, ensuring data integrity and user trust. Overall, Plaid's infrastructure supports open finance by embedding safeguards across its services, enabling safe and trustworthy financial data interactions.