What Are You Connecting to the Router?

This page helps you identify your integration path and points you to the right resources.

Prerequisite: Start with Developer Q&A: Getting Started with Ownera to understand the core concepts.

Quick Decision

If you are connecting...	You're building a...	Start here
A system that performs business functions	Business Application	Trading Application
A service consumed by other applications	Utility / Connector	Custody Service

1. Business Applications

You are connecting a Business Application if:

Your system performs business functions (user-facing or autonomous)
You own business logic and decision-making (order routing, allocation, compliance)
You need to negotiate and execute transactions with counterparties on other platforms

Examples

Category	Examples
Trading & Execution	OMS/EMS platforms, RFQ systems, secondary trading venues
Issuance & Distribution	Token issuance platforms, primary offering systems
Investor-Facing	Wealth portals, investor dashboards, fund subscription platforms
Operations	Treasury management, lifecycle management, workflow tools
Internal FI Systems	Desk applications, internal workflow tools, back-office systems
Autonomous Systems	Automated trading, scheduled rebalancing, event-driven workflows

Financial institutions can also use existing applications available in the SuperApp Store rather than developing new ones.

→ Next Steps for Business Applications

Router Integration Architecture - Deployment patterns
Authorization - Set up authentication
Hello World: Connect Your App - Build your first integration

2. Utilities / Connectors

You are connecting a Utility/Connector if:

Other applications consume your service (not end users directly)
You provide infrastructure capabilities: custody, payments, data, connectivity
You want to be invoked as part of multi-party orchestrated workflows

Examples

Category	Examples
Custody & Signing	Key management, signing services, wallet infrastructure
Payments & Cash	Payment rails, escrow services, cash management platforms, RTGS / instant payment
Connectivity	Ledger adapters, FIX gateways, SWIFT integration, internal core-banking connectors
Collateral & Lifecycle Utilities	CMS adapters, exposure/eligibility reporting utilities
Data, Analytics & Risk	Pricing engines, risk services, portfolio analytics, market data feeds
Compliance & Regulatory	KYC/AML services, screening, sanctions checks, regulatory reporting engines
Tax & Investor Reporting	Tax reporting, corporate action / disclosure messaging utilities

→ Next Steps for Utilities/Connectors

Router Integration Architecture - Deployment patterns
Ledger Adapter Specification - For tokenization/ledger connectivity
Custody Adapter Specification - For custody/signing services
Use Case: Custody Service - End-to-end example

FAQ

Q: What if I just want to query data, not execute trades? A: You're still connecting a Business Application — just a read-only one. You'll use GraphQL to query assets, positions, and portfolios without submitting intents.

Q: What about Distributed Hubs / Domain Protocols? A: Most developers don't need to think about these. Distributed Hubs are pre-configured protocols for specific markets (e.g., repo, securities lending). If you're joining an existing market, you'll use its existing Hub. Only market operators creating new markets need to define them. This is an advanced topic, not a "type" of integration.

Q: Can I run my own Router? A: Yes. Financial institutions can operate their own Router instance. Contact Ownera for details on deployment options.

Q: What if I don't want to build an application? A: Financial institutions can use existing applications available in the SuperApp Store rather than developing new ones.

Next Steps

Deployment patterns - Router Integration Architecture
Understand the primitives - Core Concepts: Router & Primitives
Build your first integration - Hello World: Connect Your App