FX Quote, and Book
FX — Overview
Verto's FX API allows you to get quotes and book currency conversions programmatically, across a range of settlement models designed for different use cases. All flows use the same core quote-and-book pattern — the key difference is the funding method and how long the rate is held.
How it works
All FX flows follow the same two-step pattern:
- Get a quote — request a live rate for your currency pair. The response returns a rate and a
vfxTokenthat locks the quote for a defined window. - Book the trade — submit the
vfxTokento confirm the trade at the quoted rate.
What varies between flows is the funding method — whether your wallet is pre-funded before booking, whether you fund after booking, and how long the rate is held open.
FX flows
Instant FX
The standard flow for clients with pre-funded wallets. Get a quote and book immediately — the rate is held for 30 seconds and funds are debited from your wallet at the point of booking.
Best for: automated payment flows, Global Clearing payouts, high-volume conversions where funds are already on balance.
See the Instant FX guide
Fund Later
Get and lock a rate now, with the intention of funding the order within 24 hours of booking. Once funds are received, Verto's system will detect the incoming payment within 15 minutes and execute the trade automatically at the locked rate.
Best for: clients who want to fix a rate before arranging funding, or where booking and funding happen in sequence rather than simultaneously.
See the Fund Later guide
Held Rate
An extended quote window of 20–30 minutes, designed for e-commerce checkout and payment flows where there is a gap between the customer confirming a price and the funds being collected. Verto holds the rate for the agreed window, allowing you to display a guaranteed local currency price to your end customer before payment is confirmed.
A transparent risk premium applies based on the duration of the rate hold:
- 20-minute hold: 0.2% premium
- 30-minute hold: 0.3% premium
Best for: airlines, e-commerce platforms, PSPs, and any use case where a guaranteed FX rate needs to be displayed to an end customer before payment is collected.
See the Held Rate guide
Indicative quotes
Use the bulk rates API to retrieve indicative rates across multiple currency pairs in a single call. No amount is required — rates are indicative only and cannot be booked directly. Designed for data and display use cases such as rate boards, pricing engines, or pre-trade analytics.
See the Indicative Quotes guide
Flow comparison
| Flow | Rate window | Funding timing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant FX | 30 seconds | Pre-funded wallet | Automated flows, payouts |
| Fund Later | ~15 minutes | Fund after booking | Rate fixing before funding |
| Held Rate | 20–30 minutes | Fund after customer payment | E-commerce, airline checkout |
| Indicative quotes | Not bookable | N/A | Rate display, pricing engines |
FX and payouts
If you are using FX as part of a payout flow, see the relevant guide for your integration:
- Two-step flow: FX + Payout API — book FX first, then initiate a payout separately
- Single-step flow: Exchange & Payout API — convert and disburse in a single API call