Build better together: How J.P. Morgan Payments supports developer communities

The developer community is one of the biggest driving forces for continual innovation and growth for any business. Supporting them with resources, tools, and feedback forums is one of the fastest ways to help entire industrial sectors digitally transform in exciting new ways.

J.P. Morgan Payments recognized this and has adopted a multifaceted strategy to connect with developer communities across the world. This has taken many interactive forms, from open-source software, conferences, hackathons, to an embedded culture of listening and learning. This thought piece explores how these initiatives not only enhance the bank's technological capabilities but also contribute significantly to the broader fintech ecosystem.

Embracing open source software for collaboration

J.P. Morgan Payments is choosing to share through open-source software, symbolic of their broader aim to invest in collaborative innovation. By contributing to - and then embracing - open-source projects, the bank can leverage global developer expertise, adapt according to feedback from the community, and iteratively improve the transparency, efficacy, and security of its offerings.

Open-source contributions can be seen on GitHub, where developer advocates actively engage with the community to share projects and innovation showcases, such as Unicorn Finance, a sample application using J.P. Morgan’s externally available APIs.

Building bridges through conferences and meetups

Conferences and meetups serve as pivotal platforms for J.P. Morgan Payments to engage with the developer community. These events not only provide opportunities for learning and development but also foster an environment where ideas can be exchanged freely, challenges can be tackled collectively, and innovative solutions can emerge.

At FinTech DevCon 2024, Alan Torrance, the Head of Open Source at J.P. Morgan Payments, discussed the best practices for engineering at the scale of J.P. Morgan Payments. Also highlighted the open source projects the company is involved in. Our Global Head of Merchant Data Platforms, Ambika Dadwal, also gave a talk about reimaging reporting using a reporting API. The talks from FinTech DevCon can be found here.

Throughout the year, J.P. Morgan participated in many developer focused events and meetups in person. These included events with MongoDB, Elastic, Twilio, and Docker. We even hosted our very first developer event in San Francisco during Tech Week. These events and meetups allow us to engage with developers, raise awareness of our products, and get feedback.

A culture of listening and learning

At the heart of the J.P. Morgan Payments outreach strategy is a profound desire to listen and learn from individual developers by meeting them where they are.

This approach acknowledges the value of diverse perspectives and experiences, driving the bank's efforts to stay at the forefront of customer-first finance technology by partnering with those who understand the nuances and needs of their industries the best.

The future

As J.P. Morgan Payments continues to engage with the developer community through open-source software, conferences, hackathons, and active listening, it’s a call to other large banks and financial institutions to be more collaborative, and to play a bigger role in nurturing innovation and growth by engaging more directly with developers.

This strategy not only benefits banks and their customers but also enriches the broader tech ecosystem by nurturing nascent ideas and encouraging riskless experimentation for all, paving the way for a more collaborative, innovative future.

By adopting this inclusive and proactive approach, J.P. Morgan Payments is helping set the precedent for how financial institutions can contribute to, and thrive alongside rapidly evolving technology. Their experience highlights the importance of community, collaboration, and continuous learning in driving forward technological excellence.

Get involved. Join our community on GitHub and the J.P. Morgan Payments Developer Portal.