The network API moment: How to unlock value through global scale

Telecom history often repeats itself – especially when operators underestimate digital disruption. A little over a decade ago, telcos saw billions in SMS revenue disappear as over-the-top (OTT) messaging apps like Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat and Messenger took over consumer messaging.

Today, operators face a similar crossroads, but this time the outcome can be different. Network APIs represent the biggest commercial opportunity since mobile data, and unlike the SMS era, the industry is showing real alignment. Collaboration across borders and standards bodies along with early operator leadership are creating the conditions for collective success.

The stakes are higher if operators fail to act, but the momentum suggests this could be their moment. With coordinated execution, shared learning and a commitment to scale, network APIs are becoming the foundation for telcos to deliver the revenue-generating network platforms they’ve always wanted.

A market entering hyper-growth

The network API market is no longer speculative – it’s accelerating. According to MarketsandMarkets, it is projected to grow globally from $1.96 billion in 2025 to $6.13 billion by 2030, representing a 25.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). This places network APIs among the fastest‑growing segments in telecom and enterprise technology.

Several structural shifts are driving this surge:

• Standardization of network APIs through the Linux Foundation’s CAMARA Project and GSMA Open Gateway has finally created cross‑operator interoperability at global scale.
• The launch of Aduna, a joint‑venture aggregator backed by Ericsson and many leading mobile network operators, is consolidating access to operators’ capabilities and simplifying enterprise adoption.
• Digital transformation is accelerating demand for identity, authentication, location, quality‑of‑service (QoS) and edge APIs.
• Network APIs are a key enabler for operators to create new revenue and unlock returns from 5G investments.

The result is a market moving from experimentation to commercial scale.

Fraud as a catalyst for enterprise adoption

If one force is making network APIs urgent, it’s fraud.

Financial fraud has become a global economic threat. GASA, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, estimates that global losses reached $442 billion in 2025. Fraud has become industrialized, powered by AI scams, global crime networks and hybrid attacks blending social engineering, financial manipulation, deepfakes and coercion.

Enterprises are responding with unprecedented investment, according to SEON’s 2025 Global Digital Fraud Report:

• 86% of companies now spend more than 3% of revenue on anti‑fraud measures.
• 76% are increasing investment in AI‑driven fraud detection, reflecting the shift to real‑time, adaptive defenses.
• Identity fraud costs large enterprises an average of $13 million annually, with 20% of very large organizations reporting losses exceeding $50 million.

This is precisely where network APIs become transformative.

APIs such as number verification, SIM swap, device status, KYC (know your customer) match and location verification provide real‑time, telco‑verified signals that are beyond the reach of fraudsters. For banks, fintechs, ecommerce and gig‑economy apps, these APIs are becoming essential infrastructure for secure onboarding, risk scoring and continuous authentication.

All operators must act now

The commercial window for network APIs is open, and while many telcos and markets are leading, the industry will only unlock the full opportunity through global scale. Early impact in identity and fraud shows what’s possible, and as operators seek returns on 5G, three dynamics make early action critical:

1) Enterprise demand is outpacing operator readiness

The banking, financial services and insurance sector is already the largest vertical for network APIs, driven by the need for identity verification, transaction security and compliance requirements. Enterprises want global, standardized, low‑latency APIs – and they want them now

2) Aggregators and hyperscalers are shaping the market

With Aduna consolidating access to operators’ capabilities and hyperscalers integrating APIs into cloud‑native workflows, telcos that lack a clear strategy risk becoming passive suppliers rather than value‑creating partners.

3) Fraud and AI are accelerating the shift to real‑time identity

As fraud becomes more sophisticated, enterprises are moving away from static controls and toward continuous, network‑verified trust signals. Operators are uniquely positioned to provide these, but only if they move decisively.

The API moment won’t wait — but it can be won

Network APIs offer operators a rare second chance to reclaim relevance, monetize 5G and deliver capabilities no OTT player can match. The window is narrow — but the opportunity is significant.

Momentum is building: Collaboration across borders and standards bodies is accelerating, and early leaders are proving what’s possible. Operators not yet engaged should learn from those ahead of them — and those leaders must share openly what worked, what didn’t and how they overcame internal barriers.

Telcos need to listen to business demand, recognize the green shoots already emerging in fraud, identity, and device intelligence, and be willing to test new commercial models. Build solutions, not isolated APIs. Focus on real problems, not theoretical use cases.

Above all, senior leaders must champion this space. Telcos aren’t known for agility, but faster onboarding, simpler processes, and seamless developer experiences are now essential. Those who move decisively will shape the global API ecosystem and unlock new revenue from network capabilities and real‑time data; those who hesitate risk a repeat of the SMS collapse.