---
title: "Roles for API credentials"
description: "Learn what roles your API credential needs to perform an action"
url: "https://docs.adyen.com/platforms/manage-access/webservice-roles"
source_url: "https://docs.adyen.com/platforms/manage-access/webservice-roles.md"
canonical: "https://docs.adyen.com/platforms/manage-access/webservice-roles"
last_modified: "2023-05-03T10:25:00+02:00"
language: "en"
---

# Roles for API credentials

Learn what roles your API credential needs to perform an action

[View source](/platforms/manage-access/webservice-roles.md)

API credentials use web service (ws) roles to define exactly which actions you can perform. While Adyen assigns a set of default roles when your company account is created, you may need to enable additional [roles](/platforms/manage-access/api-credentials-web-service/#api-permissions) in your [Customer Area](https://ca-test.adyen.com/) to unlock specific [Configuration API](https://docs.adyen.com/api-explorer/balanceplatform/latest/overview) or [Transfers API](https://docs.adyen.com/api-explorer/transfers/latest/overview) functionality. These roles specify what API requests a user can perform with this credential.

## Requirements

Before you begin, take into account the following requirements, limitations, and preparations.

| Requirement                                                    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Integration type**                                           | You must have the [Adyen for Platforms](/platforms/) integration.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| **[API credentials](/development-resources/api-credentials/)** | You must have a [Balance Platform API key](/platforms/manage-access/api-credentials-web-service?tab=create-ws_1) (for example, **ws\[\_123456]@BalancePlatform.\[YourBalancePlatform]**) to access the [Configuration API](https://docs.adyen.com/api-explorer/balanceplatform/latest/overview) and [Transfers API](https://docs.adyen.com/api-explorer/transfers/latest/overview). |

## Frequently used roles

The following tabs show the most frequently used web service roles that are available in your [Customer Area](https://ca-test.adyen.com/).

### Tab: Balance platform configuration

You can use the following roles to make requests related to balance platform configuration.

| Web service role              | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Balance Platform BCL role     | You can create, update, and delete resources in your balance platform. For example: account holders, balance accounts, or transfer instruments.                                                                                                                    |
| Balance Platform BCL PCI role | You can unmask and view PANs and CVVs/CVCs in the response of a POST [/paymentInstruments](https://docs.adyen.com/api-explorer/balanceplatform/latest/post/paymentInstruments) request.To use this role, you must also have the Balance Platform BCL role enabled. |

### Tab: Issuing

The following table shows roles that you use if your integration includes the Adyen Issuing solution.

| Web service role                  | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Bank SCA Webservice Role          | You can manage device registration for [Strong Customer Authentication](/get-started-with-adyen/adyen-glossary/#strong-customer-authentication-sca) (SCA).                                                    |
| Bank Manage TransactionRules role | You can manage the [risk engine rules](/risk-management/configure-manual-risk/standard-risk-rules) for your platform. All the permissions granted by this role are included in the Balance Platform BCL role. |
|                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                               |

### Tab: Transfers

The following table shows roles that you use to make requests related to fund transfers.

| Web service role                         | Description                                                                                                                         |
| ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Bank Transfer Initiation Webservice role | You can initiate transfers.This is only available for Transfers API [v1](https://docs.adyen.com/api-explorer/transfers/1/overview). |
| TransferService Webservice Initiate role | You can initiate transfers.                                                                                                         |
| TransferService Webservice Retrieve role | You can view initiated transfers.                                                                                                   |

## See also

* [Manage access for your team](/platforms/manage-access)