KYC on 12+ Exchanges: Rejected Twice for the Same Mistake
I have been trading since 2018 and completed KYC on 12+ exchanges. I was rejected twice — both times for the same reason: glare on the document photo. A small thing, but it costs a day waiting for re-review. This article is everything I learned about KYC: verification levels, which documents are accepted where, and specific rejection reasons with fixes.
Before Doing KYC
If you do not have an account yet — registration guide. KYC is step 3 in that guide.
What KYC Is and Why It Is Required
KYC (Know Your Customer) is identity verification: uploading a document + confirming you are a real person (selfie/liveness check). Exchanges are required to do this by financial regulators — it is not a "whim" of any specific exchange, but an industry standard against money laundering.
Without KYC: withdrawal limits $0-100/day, P2P unavailable, bonuses locked. With basic KYC: full access for most users.
Verification Levels
| Level | Required | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Level 0 | Email/phone only | Market viewing, very limited withdrawal |
| Level 1 (basic) | Document + selfie/liveness | P2P, trading, withdrawal up to $50K-100K/day (varies by exchange) |
| Level 2 (extended) | + proof of address (utility bill, bank statement) | Higher withdrawal limits, institutional features |
For 95% of users, Level 1 is enough. Level 2 is only needed for very high volumes (usually $100K+/day).
Which Documents Are Accepted
| Document | Acceptance |
|---|---|
| Passport | ✅ Accepted everywhere, most universal |
| National ID card (new format) | ✅ Accepted on most exchanges |
| Driver's licence | ✅ Accepted on Bybit, BingX; not everywhere |
| Old-format internal ID | ⚠️ Depends on exchange and country, not always |
Recommendation: if planning to register on multiple exchanges, a passport minimises rejection risk.
Top 5 Rejection Reasons and How to Avoid Them
- Glare/shadow on the document photo. Shoot on a matte surface under diffuse light (not direct sun or an overhead lamp).
- Cropped document edges. All 4 corners must be in frame with a small margin.
- Expired document. Check the expiry date before uploading.
- Selfie/document photo mismatch (significantly different appearance, glasses/mask in selfie). Take the selfie without accessories, in daylight.
- Low quality/blur. Use the phone camera directly, not screenshots or a low-resolution scan.
Verification Time by Exchange (My Experience)
What Happens to Your Data
On large regulated exchanges, data is stored according to financial standards (similar to banks) — encryption, restricted staff access, GDPR compliance for EU users. This does not mean zero risk, but major exchanges with 5+ years on the market have undergone data security audits. For overall exchange reliability checks: 15-minute method.
Bottom Line
Passport + photo on a matte surface with no glare + selfie without accessories = first-try success on 95% of exchanges. If rejected, the issue is usually photo quality, not the document itself. Full registration guide →