Entries → comparison tables
Identity Verification Levels: What Each Unlocks
Tiered verification is standard. What each level typically requires and what it permits.
| Entry type | reference |
|---|---|
| Section | comparison tables |
| Last verified | |
| Compiled by | Reference Desk |
Entry last verified September 2026. Specific thresholds vary by venue and jurisdiction.
The typical tiers
| Level | Usually requires | Usually permits |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Email, password | Browsing, sometimes small deposits |
| Basic | Name, date of birth, address, tax residence | Modest deposits and withdrawals |
| Standard | Government photo identification, liveness check | Substantially higher limits |
| Enhanced | Proof of address, source of funds documentation | Large amounts, institutional features |
Why it exists
Anti-money-laundering law. Regulated firms must verify who their customers are, monitor activity, and report.
This is not the venue being intrusive. It is a legal obligation, and a platform that does not require it is either unregulated or operating outside the rules where you live.
The tax residence field
Now standard, because automatic reporting frameworks require venues to report to the authority where you are resident.
An incorrect entry means data reported to the wrong authority, which produces problems that are tedious to unwind. Checking that it is correct is worth doing once.
Source of funds
Requested at higher tiers and when a deposit triggers screening.
It is answerable with documentation and difficult with explanation. Keeping records of where funds came from is the preparation that makes these requests routine rather than alarming.
The practical advice
Complete verification before you want to transact. It takes from minutes to several days. Doing it in advance means you are not waiting during a price move or a deadline.
Complete it fully rather than to the minimum tier. Partial verification produces limits that can strand funds mid-transfer, particularly during a platform migration.
Keep your details current. An address change that is not updated can trigger a review at an inconvenient moment.
What verification does not do
It does not make the venue safe. A fully verified account at an insolvent platform is still an unsecured claim.
It does not protect against account takeover, which is what two-factor authentication and withdrawal allowlists are for.
What to check before starting
Which documents are required, the expected timeline, and the limits at each tier.
Venues publishing all three before registration, such as venues where the asset is listed for retail purchase, let you prepare rather than discover requirements partway through.
Figures in this entry were correct on the date shown. Spotted something out of date?Send a correction and the entry gets updated.