REST API for marketplaces

As a marketplace, you can initiate Dealform transactions on behalf of your users.

Overview

The Dealform API is a RESTful JSON API. That means it is designed to:

• follow standard RESTful conventions
• accept JSON-formatted requests
• return JSON-formatted responses

Contents

This guide covers the following topics:

• Authentication
• Errors
• Acquisitions
• Collaborators

Authentication

API authentication is key-based.

API keys can only be generated by marketplace users with a verified email.

As a verified marketplace user, you can create an API key by going to Account > API keys > Create an API key. Immediately save your key secret, because it will never be displayed again.

Your API key value must be provided in an "Authorization" header with a "Token" type, like this:

Authorization: Token 55555555-5555-5555-5555-555555555555

API key types

• Live: For actual production purposes, where real records will be created, real emails will be sent, etc. Do NOT use Live keys for development or testing.
• Test (default): For development and testing purposes, where no records will be created or emails sent, and dummy responses will be returned. These dummy responses are formatted exactly like live responses.

Every response includes a live key with a boolean value indicating if you are using a live API key.

Errors

If your request encounters an error, the API will return an error response with this structure:

{
  "errors": [
    "Your authentication key is invalid."
  ]
}

Acquisitions

You can use the API to create Acquisitions on behalf of buyers and sellers, to start the Dealform transaction process. You can also use the API to check the status of any Acquisition you created previously.

Create Acquisition

Start a transaction on behalf of a buyer and seller. Dealform will contact both parties to confirm they wish to proceed, then will continue to lead them through the transaction process.

Endpoint

POST https://www.dealform.com/api/v1/acquisitions

Parameters

• buy_side_lead_email (String) - Required
  The email of the buy-side lead. (Dealform will send an invite to this email.)
• external_id (String) - Optional
  Any outside ID you want to associate with this Acquisition.
• funding_deadline_at (String) - Optional
  A datetime string in ISO format like "2025-10-17T14:00:00Z" (meaning 2pm UTC). If this deadline is exceeded, Dealform will flag the acquisition.
• funding_maximum_amount_cents (Integer) - Optional
  If total incoming funds transfers exceed this amount, Dealform will flag any further incoming funds transfers.
• funding_minimum_amount_cents (Integer) - Optional
  For example, "150000000" represents $1.5m. Until total incoming funds transfers meet or exceed this amount, Dealform will flag the acquisition.
• name (String) - Required
  The buyer's email address. Provide this if you want Dealform to send an email to the buyer with the response_url. Leave this empty if you do not know the buyer's email address or want to send the response_url to the buyer your own way.
• sell_side_lead_email (String) - Required
  The email of the sell-side lead. (Dealform will send an invite to this email.)

Response

Expect response status 201 Created.

After creating an Acquisition, you can ask both parties to check their email for an invitation from Dealform.

{
  "buy_side_lead_email": "buyer@example.com",
  "name": "Central Texas HVAC LLC",
  "sell_side_lead_email": "seller@example.com"
}

{
  "created_at": "2025-09-17T13:16:58.533Z",
  "id": "edb7d6db-6be7-4a51-85ab-b181faa71906",
  "live": false,
  "name": "Central Texas HVAC LLC",
  "number": 5555,
  "object": "Acquisition",
  "state": "pending"
}

Read Acquisition

Get the details of an existing Acquisition.

Endpoint

GET https://www.dealform.com/api/v1/acquisitions/:id

Response

Expect response status 200 Succeeded.

{
}

{
  "created_at": "2025-09-17T13:16:58.533Z",
  "id": "edb7d6db-6be7-4a51-85ab-b181faa71906",
  "live": false,
  "name": "Central Texas HVAC LLC",
  "number": 5555,
  "object": "Acquisition",
  "state": "pending"
}

Collaborators

Add or remove collaborators on any of your acquisitions.

Create Collaborator

Add a collaborator to an acquisition.

Endpoint

POST https://www.dealform.com/api/v1/acquisitions/:acquisition_id/collaborators

Parameters

• invited_email (String) - Required
  Dealform will send an invite to this email. (The user may not choose to accept the invite under this email.)
• lead (Boolean) - Optional
  Defaults to false. Set to true if this person is a lead collaborator on this side.
• side (String) - Required
  The side of the acquisition this person belongs to. Options are:
  • buy
  • sell
• two_factor_authentication_required (Boolean) - Optional
  Defaults to false. Set to true if this person should be forced to enable two-factor authentication.

Response

Expect response status 201 Created.

{
  "invited_email": "investor@example.com",
  "side": "buy"
}

{
  "created_at": "2025-09-17T13:16:58.536Z",
  "id": "e461eb7b-a3bc-49aa-a12e-3ec167ee9e40",
  "invited_email": "investor@example.com",
  "live": false,
  "side": "buy",
  "object": "Collaborator",
  "two_factor_authentication_required": false
}

Delete Collaborator

Remove a collaborator from an acquisition.

Endpoint

DELETE https://www.dealform.com/api/v1/acquisitions/:acquisition_id/collaborators/:invited_email

Response

Expect response status 204 No Content.

{
}

{
}

Questions or suggestions

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact support.