Get Forex Rates
Test URL
Live URL
The Foreign Exchange Rates API Provides Easy Access To The Equity Bank Daily Currency Conversion Rate For Major Currencies
200 Success Response Schema
| Field Name | Field Type | Field Descriptions |
|---|---|---|
data | object | list of conversion rates for major currencies |
convertedAmount | double | Converted amount |
rate | double | Conversion rate |
fromAmount | double | Original amount |
rateCode | string |
Example Request
In the example below, please remember to replace the variables enclosed within curly brackets {{ }} with the actual values.
countryCode+currencyCode+amount+toCurrencyRequest Fields
| Parameter | Type | Description | Example | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
accountNumber | string | The account number from which the currency conversion is requested. | "1450160649886" | Yes |
countryCode | string | The ISO Alpha-2 country code of the account's location. | "KE" | Yes |
currencyCode | string | The 3-letter code of the currency to be converted (e.g., GBP, EUR, USD). | "GBP" | Yes |
amount | double | The amount in the original currency to be converted. | 344 | Yes |
toCurrency | string | The target currency to which the amount will be converted (e.g., USD, EUR). | "USD" | Yes |
curl -X POST \
-d '{
"accountNumber": "1450160649886",
"countryCode": "KE",
"currencyCode": "GBP",
"amount": 344,
"toCurrency": "USD"
}' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer {{token}}' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-L 'https://uat.finserve.africa/v3-apis/transaction-api/v3.0/foreignexchangerates'Example Response
{
"status": true,
"code": 0,
"message": "success",
"data": {
"convertedAmount": 425.184,
"rate": 1.236,
"fromAmount": 344,
"rateCode": "TTB"
}
}Error Responses
400 Bad Request
Missing or invalid parameters in the request body.
{
"status": false,
"code": 400,
"message": "Invalid request parameters",
"error_code": "INVALID_REQUEST"
}401 Unauthorized
Invalid or expired access token.
{
"status": false,
"code": 401,
"message": "Invalid or expired access token",
"error_code": "UNAUTHORIZED"
}403 Forbidden
Valid credentials but invalid signature or insufficient permissions.
{
"status": false,
"code": 403,
"message": "Invalid signature or insufficient permissions",
"error_code": "FORBIDDEN"
}404 Not Found
Account not found or invalid account number.
{
"status": false,
"code": 404,
"message": "Source or destination account not found",
"error_code": "ACCOUNT_NOT_FOUND"
}📖 Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: 🔑 Set Up Security Keys
Generate your private and public key pair and share your public key with Finserve. See the Security & Signatures Documentation (opens in a new tab) for detailed instructions.
Step 2: 🎫 Authenticate
Obtain an access token using the authentication endpoint. See the Authentication API documentation (opens in a new tab) for details.
Step 3: 📋 Prepare Transaction Details
Gather all required information.
Step 4: ✍️ Generate Signature
Create the signature string by concatenating in this exact order:
countryCode+currencyCode+amount+toCurrencySign this string using your private key, then Base64 encode the result.
Step 5: 📝 Set Up Headers
Include the following headers in your request:
Content-Type: application/jsonAuthorization: Bearer [your_access_token]Signature: [your_base64_encoded_signature]
Step 6: 🔧 Construct Request Body
Create a JSON object with all required fields following the structure shown in the example request.
Step 7: 🚀 Send POST Request
Make a POST request to the internal bank transfer endpoint with your headers and body.
🌍 Supported Countries & Currencies
| Country | Country Code | Common Currency Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | KE | KES |
| Uganda | UG | UGX |
| Tanzania | TZ | TZS |
| Rwanda | RW | RWF |
| South Sudan | SS | USD |
| DRC | DRC | USD |
Best Practices
-
** Security**
- Store your private key securely and never expose it in client-side code or version control
- Always use HTTPS for API requests
- Store access tokens securely
- Regenerate signatures for each request
-
** Signature Generation**
- Ensure exact string concatenation order:
countryCode+currencyCode+amount+toCurrency - Do not include spaces, separators, or special characters in the concatenated string
- Always Base64 encode the signature before including it in headers
- Verify the values in the signature match exactly with the request body values
- Ensure exact string concatenation order:
-
** Transaction Reference**
- Use unique reference numbers for each transaction
- Implement a reference generation system to avoid duplicates
- Store reference numbers for reconciliation and audit purposes
- Never reuse reference numbers, even for failed transactions
-
Amount Formatting
- Always use decimal format with two decimal places (e.g., "500.00")
- Pass amounts as strings, not numbers
- Ensure the amount is positive and within allowed limits
- Verify amount matches exactly in signature and request body
-
Error Handling
- Implement retry logic with exponential backoff for transient errors
- Log transaction attempts and responses for audit purposes
- Handle signature validation errors by regenerating the signature
-
Testing
- Always test with the UAT endpoint before using the live endpoint
- Use test account numbers provided in the documentation
- Verify signature generation with sample data first
- Test error scenarios to ensure proper handling
-
Data Validation
- Validate all account numbers match the expected format
- Verify country codes are valid and supported
- Ensure transfer dates are in the correct format (YYYY-MM-DD)
- Validate currency codes match the destination country
Troubleshooting
Invalid Signature Error (403)
If you receive a 403 error with "Invalid signature":
- Verify the concatenation order:
countryCode + currencyCode + amount + toCurrency - Ensure no spaces or separators are included in the concatenated string
- Check that the signature is Base64 encoded
- Verify your public key is correctly registered with us
- Ensure the values in the signature match exactly with the request body values
Common Signature Mistakes
- Using wrong concatenation order
- Adding spaces or separators between values
- Not Base64 encoding the final signature
- Values in signature don't match request body values
Support
For questions or issues with this API:
- Email: support@finserve.africa