Cointime

Download App
iOS & Android

Why Do Some P2P Merchants Require Users to Complete Additional Identity Verification?

Validated Venture

Main Takeaways

  • Featuring the best liquidity, robust security, and access to over 700 payment methods and 100 fiat currencies, Binance P2P is dedicated to facilitating peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto transactions.
  • Some merchants on our P2P platform require verified users to complete additional identity verification if it’s their first time trading with them. 
  • This is because some P2P merchants are regulated entities and are required by law to collect identity verification information from users with whom they trade.    

Peer-to-peer (P2P) trading is a popular way to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, especially for those who enjoy being able to choose from a wide range of payment methods. 

With best-in-class liquidity, reliable security safeguards, and access to over 700 payment methods and 100 fiat currencies, the Binance P2P platform is one of the easiest gateways for users to trade crypto on their own terms. 

While users can enjoy more freedom on traditional P2P platforms, their lack of intermediaries can sometimes result in poor P2P trading experiences. At Binance, stringent identity verification checks are used to mitigate risks and make the overall P2P trading experience more seamless and secure.

What Is Know Your Customer (KYC) or Identity Verification?  

Before you can start trading on Binance P2P, you need to complete the identity verification process, also known as Know Your Customer (KYC). Identity verification assures that users are trading with their real identities. Once users have completed the KYC process, they are marked as verified. Identity verification standards are put in place to protect our P2P platform and its users against bad actors. 

Verified on Binance Doesn’t Mean You’re Verified With P2P Merchants

When trading on Binance P2P, you're buying or selling crypto for fiat currencies with another user, not with us. We are the platform that facilitates the P2P crypto exchange between users and merchants. As mentioned above, users and merchants must complete the identity verification process to trade on Binance P2P. However, we keep your KYC details private from merchants and other users. 

Compliance With Local Regulations

Some P2P and P2Pro merchants are regulated entities and are required by law to collect KYC information from users with whom they trade. If it’s your first time transacting with merchants who require additional identity verification checks, they'll most likely ask you to either: 

a) directly send them a copy of your passport or ID in the order chat or 

b) ask you to complete identity verification via a third-party KYC verification provider like SumSub. 

This is a legitimate request on the P2P merchant's part as it is a legal requirement. As such, we encourage merchants to comply with local regulations and ensure they have the identity verification information they are legally required to collect. We also encourage users to accede to such requests in order to ensure all trades are above board.

However, users always have the discretion to decide if they want to complete this extra verification. If you don't want to complete it, you can cancel the trade and choose another offer.

Alternative Transaction Options 

P2P users who prefer not to share their personal documents with P2P merchants can opt to trade with other sellers and merchants who don't have such requirements. When additional identity verification is required, merchants will likely communicate this in their terms, so you can agree to them and place the order, or look for other ads. That said, always read the terms and conditions stated in ads before placing any order on Binance P2P. 

Comments

All Comments

Recommended for you

  • US Spot Ethereum ETF Sees Net Inflow of $14.98 Million Yesterday

    On October 22, according to monitoring by Trader T, the US spot Ethereum ETF recorded a net inflow of $14.98 million yesterday.

  • Sonic to Transfer 13 Million S Tokens via Strategic OTC Agreement in Next 24 to 48 Hours

    On October 22, Sonic announced on the X platform that approximately 13 million S tokens will be transferred in the next 24 to 48 hours under a strategic over-the-counter (OTC) agreement. The counterparty is a long-term partner of Sonic, and both parties will collaborate to expand Sonic's reach and enhance user engagement through the partner's network.

  • Bank of Korea Maintains Interest Rate as Expected

    On October 22, the Bank of Korea kept the policy interest rate unchanged at 3%, in line with market expectations. Previously, South Korea raised interest rates in consecutive meetings in July and August.

  • U.S. Treasury Secretary Becerra: GENIUS Act Establishes Federal Regulatory Framework for Stablecoin Payments

    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Becerra stated that the GENIUS Act is a milestone in the American financial sector, further solidifying the U.S. position as a global cryptocurrency hub. He compared the bill to the National Currency Act signed by President Lincoln in 1863, asserting that it establishes a federal regulatory framework for stablecoin payments in the digital age. Becerra also mentioned that the final rules issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) will facilitate the implementation of the bill, providing a clear and pragmatic institutional foundation for private sector innovation, market competition, and maintaining U.S. leadership in the digital asset space.

  • Kalshi to Support Crypto Asset-Backed Loans for Perpetual Futures Margin

    Prediction market platform Kalshi has reached a new arrangement with crypto asset custodian BitGo, allowing certain clients to use their custodial crypto assets as collateral for loans, which will be used for margin in leveraged perpetual futures trading on the Kalshi exchange. This arrangement is aimed at clients of Kalshi Prime, a futures commission merchant registered in the U.S. It employs a tri-party collateral management structure. Loans will be provided by its affiliated lending company, Kalshi Katalyst, with collateral assets held at BitGo Bank & Trust. Eligible collateral assets include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins deemed compliant with the GENIUS Act, with plans to integrate additional custodians in the future.

  • Serious Security Vulnerability Discovered in PHP, Leading to Mass Shutdown of Government Websites in Europe

    On October 21, due to the discovery of serious security vulnerabilities in the widely used PHP programming language, multiple government websites across Europe and other regions were forced offline on Wednesday, prompting website operators to take urgent measures to protect system security. The PHP development team announced on Tuesday that two severe security flaws had been identified and urged users to update immediately after the release of the fix. On Wednesday, the PHP team confirmed that a new version addressing the vulnerabilities had been officially released. However, reports indicated that hackers were exploiting these vulnerabilities to breach websites, leading government agencies in countries such as the Netherlands and Finland to proactively shut down some sites before the patch was made available. PHP is one of the most widely used programming languages on the internet, supporting website platforms such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Magento. According to website technology statistics agency W3Techs, approximately 75% of websites that can identify their programming language use PHP. About 43% of websites globally are powered by WordPress, covering blogs, small business sites, government portals, e-commerce platforms, and news websites. This security incident has resulted in widespread disruptions to websites across multiple European countries, including the Port of Rotterdam, the government portal Overheid.nl, the Royal Netherlands Football Association, the websites of the country's five major political parties, and several hospital websites, all of which have been temporarily shut down.

  • US Stock Indices Open Slightly Higher; SpaceX Soars 8% After Earnings

    The three major US stock indices opened slightly higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.20%, the S&P 500 up 0.29%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.71%. SpaceX opened 8% higher, reporting third-quarter revenue of $14.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 161%. Elon Musk stated that the annual recurring revenue (ARR) is expected to reach between $500 billion and $1 trillion by the end of 2027. Among other popular stocks, Nvidia rose 2.15%, Apple increased 0.09%, Google (Class A) fell 1.28%, Microsoft decreased 0.56%, Amazon was up 0.01%, TSMC rose 1.95%, SpaceX climbed 7.8%, Meta increased 0.24%, Broadcom rose 0.8%, Tesla was up 2.98%, SK Hynix increased 4.11%, Micron Technology rose 3.31%, AMD was up 2.25%, ASML increased 2.83%, Intel rose 2.01%, Cisco increased 0.67%, Oracle was up 1.55%, Dell Technologies (Class C) rose 7.81%, and ARM increased 2.78%.

  • ZEC Surpasses $1300

    Market data shows that ZEC has surpassed $1300, currently priced at $1315.68, with a 24-hour increase of 14.89%. Due to significant market fluctuations, please ensure proper risk management.

  • OpenAI to Launch on Google Cloud: Cutting-Edge Models like GPT-6 Astra and Codex Code Intelligence Available on Google Cloud

    On October 21, the two companies announced that in the coming weeks, OpenAI will offer its cutting-edge AI models and Codex code intelligence services through Google Cloud. This move deepens the collaboration between these two competitors and highlights how major cloud service providers are becoming important distribution channels for top AI models. According to a corporate blog announcement, this partnership will integrate OpenAI's latest models, including GPT-6 Astra, into Google Cloud's Model Garden. Customers will be able to purchase these models on the Google Cloud Marketplace and settle using their existing cloud service procurement credits. OpenAI aims to promote its models to a broader range of enterprise customers.

  • Zelensky: Willing to Reach Peace Agreement While Retaining Control of At Least 75% of Territory

    On October 21, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in an interview that Ukraine could reach a peace agreement while retaining control of at least 75% of its territory. When asked by the host whether he would be willing to accept a peace agreement that would freeze the situation as it is, with Ukraine still holding 75% or more of its land, Zelensky responded affirmatively, stating, "Now we must freeze (the front lines), this is a practical way to end this war." (CCTV News)