> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://rain-sandbox-trial.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Payment Accounts > Register an external bank account as a reusable payment account, the funding source Rain uses when you create a payment route. A payment account is a record of an external funding source, like a bank account, that Rain stores so you can reuse it across payment routes. Registering a payment account doesn't move money. It only saves the account details for later use. ## What a payment account is When you register a payment account, Rain validates and stores the external bank account details and returns an account `id`. You then reference that `id` when you create a payment route, instead of resending the full bank details each time.
1PartnerPOST /payment-accounts
2RainValidates and stores the account
3ResponseReturns id
* **POST /payment-accounts:** the partner submits the bank account details. * **Validate and store:** Rain validates the details and stores the account. * **Return `id`:** Rain returns the account with an `id` to reference later when creating a payment route. Today, payment accounts support external fiat accounts, which are bank accounts that receive fiat. Use a payment account as the destination when you create an offramp payment route. ## Before you begin Make sure you have: * **API access** to the payment accounts endpoints. * **Bank account details** for the destination account, including the account number, routing number, and beneficiary information. ## Register a bank account To register a bank account, call `POST /payment-accounts` with the `externalFiatAccount` type and the bank details. ```bash theme={null} curl -X POST https://api.rain.xyz/v1/payment-accounts \ -H "Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "type": "externalFiatAccount", "userId": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111", "nickname": "John primary checking", "externalFiatAccount": { "currency": "usd", "rail": "ach", "thirdParty": false, "beneficiaryFirstName": "John", "beneficiaryLastName": "Doe", "beneficiaryType": "individual", "beneficiaryAddress": { "line1": "123 Main St", "city": "New York", "region": "NY", "postalCode": "10001", "countryCode": "US" }, "bankName": "Acme Bank", "bankAddress": { "line1": "456 Finance St", "city": "New York", "region": "NY", "postalCode": "10005", "countryCode": "US" }, "accountNumber": "123456789", "routingNumber": "000000000", "bankAccountType": "checking" } }' ``` The response includes the stored account and its `id`, which you reference when you create a payment route. ```json theme={null} { "id": "f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479", "type": "externalFiatAccount", "nickname": "John primary checking", "userId": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111", "externalFiatAccount": { "currency": "usd", "rail": "ach", "thirdParty": false, "beneficiaryFirstName": "John", "beneficiaryLastName": "Doe", "beneficiaryType": "individual", "beneficiaryAddress": { "line1": "123 Main St", "city": "New York", "region": "NY", "postalCode": "10001", "countryCode": "US" }, "bankName": "Acme Bank", "bankAddress": { "line1": "456 Finance St", "city": "New York", "region": "NY", "postalCode": "10005", "countryCode": "US" }, "accountNumber": "123456789", "routingNumber": "000000000", "bankAccountType": "checking" }, "createdAt": "2025-01-15T10:30:00Z" } ``` ### Bank account fields Provide the following required bank account fields for both US rails, ACH (US) and Wire (US): * `accountNumber` * `routingNumber` * `beneficiaryType` * `beneficiaryAddress` * `bankName` * `bankAddress` * `bankAccountType` ### Beneficiary type and name fields Set `beneficiaryType` to either `individual` or `business`. The name fields you must provide depend on this value: * **Individual**: provide `beneficiaryFirstName` and `beneficiaryLastName`. * **Business**: provide `beneficiaryBusinessName`. ### Bank account type Set `bankAccountType` to either `checking` or `savings`. International rails used for quote-based [transfers](/docs/transfers#step-1-create-a-payment-account) (`co_ach`, `mx_spei`, `br_pix`, and others) require different fields, such as `clabeNumber` or `pixCode`. See that page for the full field requirements by country. Rain supports both first-party and third-party destinations. The party who receives the funds doesn't have to be the customer who owns the account. * **First-party** (`thirdParty: false`): the bank account belongs to the same user who set up the route. * **Third-party** (`thirdParty: true`): the bank account belongs to a different party, for example a vendor or another individual. ## Manage payment accounts After you register payment accounts, you can list them, retrieve a single account, or delete an account you no longer need. To retrieve all payment accounts for your team, call `GET /payment-accounts`. ```bash theme={null} curl -X GET https://api.rain.xyz/v1/payment-accounts \ -H "Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" ``` To retrieve a single payment account, call `GET /payment-accounts/{paymentAccountId}`. ```bash theme={null} curl -X GET https://api.rain.xyz/v1/payment-accounts/f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479 \ -H "Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" ``` To remove a payment account, call `DELETE /payment-accounts/{paymentAccountId}`. ```bash theme={null} curl -X DELETE https://api.rain.xyz/v1/payment-accounts/f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479 \ -H "Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" ``` You cannot delete a payment account that an active payment route references. Delete the payment route first, then delete the payment account. ## How payment accounts are used in payment routes Registering and managing accounts is only half the picture. A payment account only becomes useful once you reference its `id` as the destination of an offramp payment route. Creating the route still doesn't move money: Rain returns an onchain deposit address, and funds convert only after a sender sends stablecoin to it. See [What a payment route is](/docs/payment-routes#what-a-payment-route-is) for how Rain picks a direction and what each one returns. ## What's next Reference this account's ID as the destination of an offramp payment route. Let users convert fiat to crypto through a payment route. Let users convert crypto to fiat into a registered payment account.