A system and method for providing top-up of mobile data, by processing one or more transactions between a data sponsor and a data beneficiary who is possibly being served by multiple data providers. The top-up can be based on i) an application program interface (API) call being made into the mobile network operator of a data user or ii) an API call being made into a sponsored data (SD) platform/system (SDS) to allocate a quota to the data user, among other possible product options. In the first option, provisioning of the data quota and consumption against the quota is managed directly by the mobile network operator itself. In the second option, allocation of the quota and consumption against the quota is managed by the SDS and an SD control app. The system can select a particular option because that option best meets one or more business goals or rules.