Morningstar Direct Web Services Brings Sophisticated Investment Data, Research, and Calculation APIs to Power Firms' Digital Platforms

CHICAGO, Dec. 13, 2023

CHICAGO, Dec. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment insights, today announced the launch of Direct Web Services, a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) that packages Morningstar's data, research, and calculation engines for financial services firms to use in their own digital solutions. Direct Web Services is complemented by a newly created global network of certified partners to seamlessly integrate API functionality for firms developing sophisticated websites and applications.

The suite of API offerings in Direct Web Services is designed to return display-ready content that can be easily integrated to power front-end applications. With these tools, firms can better support investment research and portfolio analysis activities, leverage generative artificial intelligence in their user experience, assess an investor's preferences or appetite for risk, and more. Moreover, the integration of Direct Web Services' APIs enables firms to elevate their brands with differentiated and engaging experiences for clients.

"As the shift toward virtual engagement continues in the financial services sector, it's critical that firms adapt their approach to client interaction," said Marc DeMoss, head of research products at Morningstar. "Direct Web Services delivers efficient and meaningful digital client experiences with no back-end work needed. Our goal is to join Morningstar's data and research with value-additive functionality – including our established generative AI engine – enabling firms to build powerful front-end solutions in a light-touch way."

Among the APIs offered through Direct Web Services is the Intelligence Engine API, which debuted in September and is the set of generative AI building blocks on which the Morningstar chatbot known as "Mo" is built. Other capabilities offered by Direct Web Services include the Portfolio Analysis X-Ray and Risk Score functionality, portfolio comparison tools, fund screening, editorial summarization, sustainability screener, and more.

Direct Web Services comes with a global implementation network so firms can partner with an expert to incorporate these capabilities into their own applications if they don't have the user interface development capability internally. The Morningstar Service Delivery Partner Program currently includes ten firms that are experienced in developing innovative digital experiences that maximize and augment the value of Direct Web Services APIs:

• Auxality simplifies financial data management, enhancing transparency and compliance through SaaS solutions (EMEA).
• Data Front provides a cloud-native platform that simplifies the customization and automation of digital fund reporting, creating efficiencies throughout the process (North America).
• Expero delivers comprehensive digital transformation services and an AI analytics platform for rapid data integration and visualization (North America and Europe).
• FinFiles is focused on addressing the challenges firms face when managing information about investment funds, ETFs, and structured products (EMEA).
• Instinct Digital is a cloud-based platform that redefines how asset managers engage their clients, delivering streamlined and automated fund and investor reporting (EMEA).
• Integrella simplifies IT complexities by translating ideas into code and building engaging experiences for clients (EMEA).
• Invent is a cloud-native super app platform that enables financial services firms to bring together systems and workflows such as CRM, reporting, investment analytics, and more into one unified application (North America).
• Itech Choice modernizes technologies across mobile and web application development, business intelligence, business process automation, and enterprise applications integration (APAC).
• Solution2Enterprises supports firms within the fintech, insurtech, and cybersecurity industries, leveraging its expertise in AI and cloud services (EMEA).
• Systemweb delivers an enterprise solution ecosystem with an embedded digital finance team to create dynamic digital wealth management experiences (APAC).

Learn more about Direct Web Services here. To learn more about the Morningstar Service Delivery Partner Program and to find a partner, click here.