> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lead.bank/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Welcome to Lead

> Programmable financial services built to support any use case, quickly.

Built to support any use case, our APIs enable you to embed core banking primitives directly into your products. Our platform’s limitless composability means you can assemble unique, innovative products across every category of financial services.

## What You Can Build with Lead

Lead organizes its capabilities into four product pillars. Most programs combine more than one.

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Column>
    <Card title="Lend" icon="hands-holding-dollar">
      Originate term loans and lines of credit — both secured & unsecured — and disburse funds to where they need to go.
    </Card>

    <Card title="Issue" icon="credit-card-front">
      Issue debit, prepaid, & credit cards through your card-issuing processor while Lead handles settlement flows & oversight.
    </Card>
  </Column>

  <Column>
    <Card title="Move" icon="arrows-maximize">
      Send and receive payments and transfers across domestic, international, and blockchain rails.
    </Card>

    <Card title="Store" icon="piggy-bank">
      Hold customer funds in deposit accounts with FDIC insurance and optimized account structures for your program.
    </Card>
  </Column>
</Columns>

## How You Integrate

Lead's workflows are built around two interfaces:

* **APIs** for workflows that are time-sensitive and require real-time actions
* **Files** for batch, once-per-day reporting workflows

### REST APIs

Purpose-built for real-time actions: creating entities, sending payments, and reacting to webhook events. JSON over HTTPS, OAuth2 client credentials, idempotency-key support.

<Note>
  APIs are not yet available for all flows. Additional endpoints are in active development — see [Upcoming Changes](/upcoming-changes) to view details about planned platform, API, reporting, and operational changes in flight [Upcoming Changes](/upcoming-changes) to view details about planned platform, API, reporting, and operational changes in flight.
</Note>

### File Integrations (SFTP)

Utilized for batch workflows such as balance and transaction reporting and network settlement reports. Pipe-delimited CSV with a documented schema per file type.

## Core Objects

Lead represents every program in terms of five core objects. You’ll see this same vocabulary throughout the API, file schemas, and reports.

| Object         | What it Represents                                                                                                                                                                  |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Entity         | A legal person or organization — an individual, sole proprietor, or business. The starting point for every customer relationship. KYC and OFAC screening apply at the Entity level. |
| Account        | A financial product held by one or more entities.                                                                                                                                   |
| Account Number | A routable address that money can be sent to or from. Multiple account numbers can map to a single account/balance.                                                                 |
| Balance        | The current and available funds on an account, including any subledger balances you maintain.                                                                                       |
| Transaction    | An individual debit or credit posted to an account, with full lineage back to the originating payment.                                                                              |

<Tip>
  If you've worked with another BaaS platform, an Entity maps to a customer record, and an Account Number to a routable destination.

  For full relationship and lifecycle details, see [Object Model](/core-concepts/platform/object-model) in Core Concepts.
</Tip>

## Where to Start

Pick the path that matches your role on the implementation team.

**If you’re a developer:**

* [**Make Your First Payment API Call (15 minutes)**](/get-started/quickstart/make-your-first-payment-api-call): Authenticate, create an entity, assign an account number, simulate an incoming ACH credit, and send an outgoing ACH.
* [Originate Your First Loan (25 minutes)](/get-started/quickstart/originate-your-first-loan): Authenticate, create a borrower Entity, record the underwriting decision as an Application, open a credit-enabled Account, define the loan terms on a Subledger Balance, and execute your first Funding request.
* [**Sandbox Environment**](/get-started/sandbox): Understand what's available and simulated.

**If you’re a product or program manager:**

* [**Program Launch**](/get-started/program-launch): The contracting, due diligence, and technical integration milestones from kickoff to testing and go-live.

**If you’re leading compliance or risk:**

* [**Partner Site**](https://partners.lead.bank/): SLAs, compliance and data requirements, risk management framework, program policies, and more.