Fintech23
Architecture & Modularity

Designed for Change, Control, and Real-World Fintech Complexity

Fintech23 is built as a modular, service-oriented platform designed to support regulated fintech systems that evolve over time.

The architecture prioritizes:

  • Clear separation of responsibilities
  • Controlled change and extensibility
  • Integration with existing systems
  • Operational safety in production environments

Rather than enforcing a single architectural pattern, Fintech23 supports pragmatic modularity aligned with real-world constraints.

Architectural Principles

Fintech23 follows a small set of guiding principles that shape how the platform is designed and extended.

Separation of Concerns

Each module is responsible for a clearly defined domain (identity, payments, ledger orchestration, controls, etc.), reducing coupling and unintended side effects.

Explicit Boundaries

Modules communicate through well-defined interfaces. Cross-module dependencies are intentional and documented.

Integration Over Replacement

The platform is designed to integrate with existing cores, ledgers, and providers — not replace them by default.

Operational Transparency

System behavior, state transitions, and failures are observable and traceable in production.

Modular by Design

Fintech23 is composed of independent but interoperable modules.

  • Modules can be adopted incrementally
  • Not all modules are required for every deployment
  • Custom modules can coexist with core platform components

This allows teams to start small and expand without re-architecting the system.

High-Level Architecture Overview

At a high level, the platform is structured into four layers:

1

Channel & Access Layer

  • Web, mobile, and partner-facing channels
  • Authentication and session integration
  • Channel-specific policies and controls

Channels interact with the platform exclusively through APIs.

2

Platform & Domain Services

  • Customer, wallet, payments, ledger orchestration
  • Risk controls, approvals, and workflow management
  • Business rules and state management

This layer contains the core domain logic of the platform.

3

Integration Layer

  • Core banking and ledger systems
  • Payment rails, gateways, and remittance partners
  • KYC, AML, messaging, and external services

Integrations are treated as first-class components, not afterthoughts.

4

Data, Observability & Operations

  • Datastores and persistence models
  • Audit logs and event records
  • Monitoring, alerts, and operational tooling

This layer supports reliability, compliance, and operational visibility.

Service Interaction Model

Fintech23 supports multiple interaction patterns depending on use case and environment:

Synchronous API calls

For request/response flows

Event-driven communication

For state changes and notifications

Asynchronous processing

For long-running or external workflows

The platform does not mandate a single pattern across all services.

Configuration vs Customization

A key design goal is to minimize code-level customization.

Configuration

  • Business rules, limits, fees, and workflows
  • Approval hierarchies and access policies
  • Notification templates and thresholds

Configuration changes are auditable and permission-controlled.

Customization

  • Used only when configuration is insufficient
  • Scoped to specific modules or extensions
  • Reviewed carefully to avoid architectural drift

This balance helps maintain long-term stability.

Deployment & Environment Model

Fintech23 is designed to operate across multiple environments.

  • Logical separation of Dev, UAT, and Production
  • Environment-specific configuration and secrets
  • Controlled promotion of changes between environments

Deployment topology is adapted to client infrastructure and regulatory needs.

Scalability & Performance Considerations

The platform supports horizontal and vertical scaling depending on deployment context.

  • Stateless services where appropriate
  • Asynchronous processing for high-latency integrations
  • Caching and batching strategies where safe

Performance tuning is guided by observed load patterns, not assumptions.

Failure Handling & Resilience

Real-world fintech systems must expect failures. Fintech23 is designed to handle:

  • Partial failures from external providers
  • Retry and compensation workflows
  • Idempotent request handling
  • Clear error states and recovery paths

Failures are treated as normal operating conditions, not exceptions.

Extending the Platform

Fintech23 supports extension without core rewrites.

  • New modules can be added alongside existing ones
  • Integrations can be swapped or extended
  • Custom workflows can be layered on top of core services

Extensions are designed to preserve upgrade paths and maintainability.

Architectural Trade-Offs (Explicit)

To avoid unrealistic expectations, it's important to be clear about trade-offs:

  • Modularity introduces coordination overhead
  • Integration-heavy systems depend on external SLAs
  • Strict controls may reduce short-term speed

These trade-offs are intentional and aligned with regulated environments.

Built for Evolution, Not One-Time Launches

Fintech23 is designed to support:

  • Phased rollouts
  • Regulatory changes
  • New products and markets
  • Long-term operational ownership

The architecture favors clarity and control over shortcuts.

Want to Review the Architecture in Context?

Architecture decisions depend heavily on your regulatory environment, scale targets, and existing systems.

We're happy to walk through:

  • A reference architecture
  • Module selection for your use case
  • Integration and deployment options