Inside the Build with Ditch x Method
See how real-time liability connectivity powers financial agents helping the next generation of borrowers pay down debt automatically.
Interested in building something with real-time connectivity?
If you have 5 minutes, here’s the key takeaways from each chapter:
0:00
Intro: Launching Automated Debt Repayment
Ditch is building a platform designed to help borrowers automate their path to becoming debt-free. Instead of requiring users to manually manage budgets or payments, the product automatically routes small amounts from everyday purchases toward debt balances while an AI companion provides guidance and encouragement.
0:32
The Vision for a Debt Operating System
Ditch is built around the idea of an ecosystem of intelligent agents that guide users through the entire debt lifecycle. One agent focuses on automated repayments through purchase roundups, while another AI companion helps users navigate complex financial decisions and behavioral challenges around debt.
2:01
Who Ditch Is Built For
Ditch focuses on the next generation of borrowers who prefer automation over manual financial management.
Primarily Gen Z and millennial users
Often managing multiple liabilities (student loans, credit cards, auto loans)
Users who want a set-it-and-forget-it approach to debt repayment
3:09
Why Financial Education Alone Fails
Many personal finance apps rely on education and awareness, but Ditch found that expecting users to actively engage with financial tools creates friction. Instead, the team focused on automation to drive behavior change without requiring ongoing user attention.
4:25
The Infrastructure Problem in Debt Payments
One of the biggest surprises during development was the lack of simple infrastructure for pushing payments directly toward liabilities like loans and credit cards. While consumer payment rails exist, routing payments toward debt requires specialized infrastructure.
5:14
Build vs Partner: Why Ditch Chose Method
Instead of building debt connectivity and bill-pay infrastructure internally, Ditch partnered with Method to handle liability data and payment routing. This allowed the product team to focus on user experience and behavioral design rather than financial plumbing.
6:41
Designing a Seamless Onboarding Experience
For consumer fintech products, onboarding is critical. Ditch used Method’s single-link liability connection flow to allow users to instantly see all of their debts without linking accounts one by one — creating an immediate “magic moment” for new users.
“Consumers are extremely fickle. If the onboarding experience isn’t seamless, they churn. Method allowed us to connect all liabilities in a single step and create that ‘magic moment’ where users instantly see their full debt picture.”
— Luis, Founder of Ditch
10:52
Shipping Fintech Products Faster With Open Banking APIs
Ditch needed to move quickly. Method’s documentation, APIs, and engineering support helped the team implement debt connectivity and payment flows rapidly, reducing time to launch.
“As an early-stage startup, time is our most limited resource. Method’s documentation and engineering support allowed us to ship much faster than we could have building this infrastructure ourselves.”
— Luis, Founder of Ditch
13:42
Why Debt Repayment Needs Automation
Ditch learned that even motivated borrowers often failed to make additional payments manually. By automating repayment through roundups and scheduled payments, the product ensures progress toward debt payoff happens continuously.
15:42
What Ditch Is Building Next
As users improve their financial position, Ditch plans to introduce smarter financial opportunities — including refinance offers and loan products that help users improve their financial standing without increasing debt unnecessarily.
19:06
Feedback From the New Generation of Borrowers
Many advanced financial tools historically served wealthier consumers. Ditch aims to make sophisticated financial automation accessible to the new generation of borrowers through AI, modern financial infrastructure, and product design.
22:17
