Over the past year, momentum around mobile network APIs has intensified. Forecasts now project global revenues to reach $34 billion by 2030, with anti-fraud and identity verification APIs accounting for nearly 40% of that value. But while anti-fraud remains the entry point, new opportunities are emerging that could unlock the next wave of growth for telcos and service providers.
Anti-Fraud APIs: Still the Low-Hanging Fruit
The first wave of API monetization has centered on anti-fraud APIs — particularly SIM Swap, Number Verification, and One-Time Password (OTP) validation. These APIs have been critical in protecting financial services transactions and reducing identity theft, with operators worldwide rolling out services in 2024 and 2025.
However, short-term revenue growth is starting to flatten, constrained by delayed commercialization and fragmented operator strategies. While anti-fraud APIs will remain foundational, they alone will not sustain long-term growth.
Location APIs: Positioned for Scale, but with Challenges
The spotlight has now shifted to location APIs. From fraud detection to retail insights, logistics optimization, and regulatory compliance, location-based APIs are proving invaluable. Enterprises in sectors like financial services, retail, and transportation see location APIs as a way to enable new services, improve customer experience, and optimize operations.
Yet, scaling across regions is complicated by local data privacy laws. Navigating these regulations requires telcos to strike a balance between compliance and delivering high-value, data-driven services. Those who succeed will unlock one of the most lucrative opportunities in the network API space.
New Frontiers: Footfall, Verified Caller, and Predictive APIs
The next horizon of APIs extends beyond fraud and location into newly defined capabilities:
- Footfall Data APIs: Transforming retail and urban planning by providing real-time insights into customer flows.
- Verified Caller APIs: Enhancing trust in communications by reducing spam and spoofing, a growing issue for both enterprises and consumers.
- Predictive Network Performance APIs: Allowing industries like media & entertainment to optimize streaming quality and user experience by leveraging real-time network intelligence.
Early signals show growing demand from enterprises in retail, financial services, and entertainment, indicating these APIs could rapidly mature into billion-dollar markets by the end of the decade.
The Path Ahead for Telcos and Service Providers
To capture this $31–34 billion opportunity, service providers must do more than launch APIs — they must commercialize them at scale. The key lies in three pathways:
- Customer Expansion – Selling existing anti-fraud APIs into new sectors and use cases.
- Capability Expansion – Developing new APIs to meet evolving enterprise needs.
- API Innovation – Building entirely new APIs for markets like media, retail, and smart cities.
Each pathway demands different partnerships and business models. Operators that successfully combine them will build a sustainable API ecosystem capable of generating long-term value.
How 3Rivers Global Helps Service Providers Win
At 3Rivers Global, we help service providers shift early momentum into meaningful commercialization at scale. Our expertise lies in enabling telcos and technology leaders to:
- Identify high-value API opportunities across industries.
- Navigate regulatory complexity while maintaining compliance.
- Develop scalable go-to-market strategies that translate technical capabilities into enterprise-grade solutions.
- Accelerate digital transformation initiatives that deliver extraordinary growth and sustainable differentiation.
By aligning transformation strategies with market trends, 3Rivers Global ensures service providers don’t just participate in the API economy—they lead it.
From Hype to Scale
The next five years will determine whether network APIs remain a niche anti-fraud tool or evolve into a multi-billion-dollar growth engine. Anti-fraud APIs provided the proof of concept, but the real opportunity lies in location intelligence, predictive performance, and new enterprise-grade capabilities.
Telcos and service providers who act decisively today—partnering effectively, scaling globally, and innovating responsibly—will capture the lion’s share of this $31B+ opportunity.
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The $31B opportunity in network APIs is real. From anti-fraud to location intelligence and predictive performance, telcos must move beyond pilots to scale. At 3Rivers Global, we help service providers shift momentum into meaningful commercialization.
👉 Read more: www.3RiversGlobal.com
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Network APIs are a $31B opportunity. The winners? Those who scale beyond anti-fraud into location, predictive, and enterprise-grade APIs.
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