Welcome to ETAS

The Embedded Transaction Account Solution (ETAS) enables Fintechs, SaaS platforms, and Program Managers to facilitate business payments using a Fifth Third Bank-owned custodial (FBO) account structure. ETAS is designed to provide a streamlined onboarding and implementation experience while allowing clients to maintain ownership of their customer experience and ledgering platform.

This guide provides the high-level steps required to implement ETAS and serves as the starting point for all technical integrations. Detailed implementation instructions are provided in the API Integration Guide and Batch File Integration Guide.

Before You Begin

Prior to implementation, ensure your organization has:

• Executed the required agreements with Fifth Third Bank.
• Completed internal onboarding activities with your implementation team.
• Identified business and technical contacts.
• Determined how your platform will maintain customer and transaction records.
• Identified the payment rails your program will support.
• Reviewed all applicable operational, security, and compliance obligations.

ETAS Architecture Overview

ETAS is built around four primary components:

1. Custodial Account Structure: Funds are held within a Fifth Third Bank-owned FBO account for the benefit of your end users.
2. Client Ledger: Your organization maintains its own ledger system to track customer balances and transaction activity. ETAS follows a "bring your own ledger" model.
3. Newline Payment Services: Payment initiation and payment activity are supported through Newline services and payment rails. Supported payment rails include:
   1. ACH
   2. Wire Transfers
   3. Book Transfers
4. Newline DataMart: DataMart receives client-provided business and transaction data for reporting, reconciliation, and regulatory monitoring purposes.

Implementation Overview

A typical ETAS implementation consists of two technical workstreams that are completed in parallel.

Workstream 1: API Integration

This integration enables your platform to initiate and manage payment activities through Newline services.

Typical Activities

• Obtain API credentials.
• Configure authentication.
• Establish secure connectivity.
• Enable required payment rails.
• Validate API requests and responses.
• Complete testing and user acceptance validation.

Next Step: Continue with the API Integration Guide.

Workstream 2: DataMart Integration

This integration enables the secure transfer of business and transaction data required for reporting, reconciliation, and operational oversight.

Typical Activities

• Complete SFTP configuration.
• Exchange connection credentials.
• Prepare required file formats.
• Submit test files.
• Validate file processing results.
• Complete reconciliation testing.

ETAS requires two primary data submissions through the DataMart integration:

Business File

Contains business customer information used to support operational and regulatory monitoring processes.

Transaction File

Contains transaction activity associated with your ETAS program and supports reporting, reconciliation, and monitoring processes.

Detailed field-level specifications are available in the File Specification documents.

Next Step: Continue with the Batch File Integration Guide.

Implementation Checklist

Phase 1: Planning

• Review ETAS solution architecture.
• Identify technical stakeholders.
• Determine supported payment rails.
• Review file specifications.
• Review API documentation.
• Establish implementation timeline.

Phase 2: Environment Setup

• Receive implementation credentials.
• Configure API connectivity.
• Configure SFTP access.
• Establish internal testing environments.
• Verify network and security requirements.

Phase 3: Integration

API Integration

• Configure authentication.
• Test API connectivity.
• Configure payment workflows.
• Validate responses and error handling.

Data Integration

• Create required data extracts.
• Generate business and transaction files.
• Upload test files through SFTP.
• Resolve validation errors.

Phase 4: Testing

• Execute payment testing.
• Execute file transmission testing.
• Validate reconciliation results.
• Verify operational processes.
• Complete user acceptance testing.

Phase 5: Go-Live

• Production credentials issued.
• Production connections validated.
• Initial monitoring completed.
• First transactions successfully processed.

Client Responsibilities

Clients are responsible for:

• Maintaining an accurate and complete ledger of customer balances and activity.
• Providing required business and transaction data.
• Maintaining data quality and data integrity.
• Implementing appropriate operational controls.
• Managing customer-facing experiences and communications.
• Following their internal compliance, risk, and operational policies.
• Participating in testing and reconciliation activities during implementation.

ETAS documentation provides technical guidance only and should not be considered a substitute for your organization's internal policies, procedures, or regulatory obligations.

Authentication and Security

All integrations must use approved authentication and secure file transmission methods.

Security requirements include:

• Secure API authentication.
• Credential management.
• Encrypted data transmission.
• SFTP-based file exchange.
• Access controls and monitoring.

Additional implementation details can be found in the API and Batch File Integration Guides.

Testing and User Acceptance

Before production access is granted, clients must successfully complete:

• Connectivity testing
• Payment workflow testing
• File transmission testing
• Reconciliation validation
• User acceptance testing (UAT)

The objective is to ensure that ledger balances, payment activity, and reporting outputs align with expected results prior to production launch.

Support During Implementation

During onboarding, your implementation team will work with Fifth Third and Newline stakeholders to:

• Review solution architecture.
• Answer technical questions.
• Validate integration readiness.
• Coordinate testing activities.
• Support go-live planning.

Questions related to implementation should be directed to your assigned Newline implementation contact.

Next Steps

Choose the integration guide that corresponds to your implementation activities:

1. API Integration Guide

   • Authentication
   • Payment rails
   • API workflows
   • Testing

2. Batch File Integration Guide

   • SFTP setup
   • Business file submission
   • Transaction file submission
   • Reconciliation

Together, these two integrations complete the core technical requirements for an ETAS implementation.