What Account Aggregators Were Supposed to Solve
India’s Account Aggregator (AA) system was launched to make financial data sharing easy and secure. Under Account Aggregator Framework India, users could allow one app to fetch verified data from banks, insurers, or mutual funds — instantly and with consent.
The vision was simple: instead of uploading bank statements manually, users could let lenders or fintechs access them securely through the AA network. RBI designed it to give users data ownership — “you decide who sees your data, for how long, and why.”
By 2025, over 70 financial institutions had joined the network. Yet many users in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities still see one message too often: “Fetch failed. Try again later.”
Insight: The AA framework works — but only when all banks, apps, and APIs speak the same language.Why AA Apps Still Fail for Many Users
Most AA errors aren’t caused by users — they stem from inconsistent bank systems and incomplete API connections. As seen in Aa Login Issues Guide, data fetch failures often occur when Financial Information Providers (FIPs) like banks or NBFCs haven’t fully automated their backend systems.
Common reasons AAs fail:
- Bank-side downtime: Many smaller banks’ APIs still operate in batch mode, not real time.
- Partial FIP onboarding: Not all financial entities are yet live on the Sahamati network.
- Authentication loops: Some banks require multiple OTPs or redirections that time out on slow networks.
- Data type mismatch: Some AAs can’t process older account formats or loan types.
- Consent token expiry: If a session expires mid-fetch, users must start over — frustrating but common.
Even well-known apps occasionally face delays because one weak link — a lagging FIP or a failed consent handshake — breaks the entire data flow. As of mid-2025, RBI’s own dashboard shows one in every four consent fetches fails on average.
Tip: If your AA app shows “Fetch failed,” it’s not your phone — it’s likely your bank’s API taking a nap.How RBI and Sahamati Are Fixing the Gaps
Recognising the problem, RBI and industry body Sahamati have stepped in with upgrades under Rbi Open Finance Initiatives. The new version of the AA framework focuses on standardisation, uptime, and user feedback loops.
Key initiatives in progress:
- AA 2.0 Standard: Uniform API protocols to remove version mismatches between banks.
- Performance scorecards: RBI now publishes uptime and error rates of participating institutions.
- Retry mechanisms: AAs can now auto-retry data fetches instead of failing outright.
- Expanded FIP list: More insurers, small finance banks, and NBFCs added to the network.
- User dashboards: Users can now see which data consents are active, pending, or expired.
This coordinated effort is already improving performance — some AAs report success rates rising from 60% to over 85% in pilot cities like Pune, Coimbatore, and Jaipur.
Insight: RBI now treats “data fetch success” like a service metric — just like uptime for payments.What Users Can Do Until AAs Improve
While the system stabilises, users can still make the most of existing AAs. Under User Consent And Data Tips, simple steps can reduce errors and improve success rates.
Quick fixes for users:
- Try during banking hours: Some smaller banks’ APIs refresh faster during weekdays.
- Update your app: Older AA versions may not support new data standards.
- Renew consent regularly: Expired consents won’t fetch any new data.
- Check linked FIPs: If your bank isn’t live yet, the fetch will fail regardless of the app.
- Use multiple AAs: Linking two apps increases your chance of at least one success.
For now, RBI’s focus remains on reliability over speed. The idea is to make every AA request consistent — not just fast. As more banks upgrade to real-time APIs, fetch errors should drop steadily through 2026.
Tip: Think of AAs as UPI in its early days — the glitches today are the groundwork for smoother finance tomorrow.The Account Aggregator model is still one of India’s most forward-looking fintech reforms. Once fully stabilised, it could make loan approvals, insurance renewals, and financial planning almost instant — truly real-time open finance for every Indian user.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does my AA app show “fetch failed”?
Usually because your bank’s API is down or not fully integrated with the AA network — not because of your device or internet.
2. Are all banks live on the AA network?
No. As of 2025, some cooperative, regional, and smaller NBFCs are still in onboarding stages.
3. Can I use multiple AA apps?
Yes. You can authorise more than one Account Aggregator app to access your data with consent.
4. Does using AA affect my credit score?
No. AA only shares data with your consent; it doesn’t record or impact credit behaviour.
5. When will AA apps become stable?
By late 2026, once all major banks upgrade to real-time APIs and RBI’s new standards fully roll out.