Here's the short version: Binance's KYC verification has 4 main steps — identity information, document upload, facial recognition, and address information — and the whole process takes 5 to 10 minutes. Have your ID card or passport ready, along with a phone that can take photos. For your first time, go through the Binance Official Site to reach your account center; on mobile, just open the Official Binance App directly — if you're on iPhone and can't install it, see our iOS Installation Guide.
KYC stands for Know Your Customer. As part of its regulatory compliance obligations, Binance requires every user to complete identity verification before trading. An account that hasn't completed KYC can only hold crypto — it can't place orders, withdraw, or use any earn products. Below, we walk through the entire KYC process from a first-timer's perspective.
Before you open the verification page, gather the following so you don't get stuck halfway through.
| Category | What You Need | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ID document | Government-issued ID card / passport / residency permit | Must be currently valid |
| Camera device | A phone with front and rear cameras | Used for document photos and facial recognition |
| Lighting | Natural light or soft white light | Avoid backlighting or dim rooms |
| Home address | Full street address | English/romanized spelling passes more reliably |
| Email and phone number | The ones used for your account | Used to receive verification results |
One thing worth flagging: the document must be your own and must currently be valid. If your ID is close to expiring (within 90 days), Binance will prompt you to renew it first. If you only have a limited-validity travel document and not a full national ID, it's usually smoother to go through KYC with a passport instead, to avoid repeated rejections.
After logging in, on desktop click your avatar in the top-right corner → "Identity Verification"; on the app, it's "Account" → "Identity Verification." The system shows your current verification level — a new account defaults to "Unverified." Click "Verify Now" to begin.
Choose your nationality based on where your document was issued. Select the document type that matches what you'll be uploading — an ID card or a passport. If you pick the wrong one here, you can still change it before submitting.
Your name must match your ID exactly, including any uncommon characters. Binance automatically compares the OCR reading of your document against what you type manually — even a single-character mismatch will send it back for correction. Enter the full document number; if it ends in "X," use a capital X.
Follow the prompts to upload the front and back of your ID. Photo tips:
JPG and PNG are both accepted, and each file must be under 8 MB. After uploading, the system runs OCR automatically, usually completing within 5 seconds.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the "blink, open your mouth, turn your head" sequence. Keep in mind:
Most people pass on the first try. If it fails, the system lets you retry, up to 5 times. After 5 failed attempts, it's escalated to manual review.
Fill in your street, building number, city, and postal code. It's best to use English, since Binance's servers process addresses more reliably in English. For example, a local-language address can be written in an English format like "No. 100 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai." Non-English addresses are also accepted, but English tends to pass review more reliably.
After submitting, your status changes to "Under Review." Review typically takes 5 to 30 minutes, and can complete in as little as 1 minute. The result is sent to your registered email. Once approved, your account upgrades from "Unverified" to "Verified" and every feature is unlocked.
Binance's KYC is tiered, and each tier unlocks a different set of limits.
| Tier | Documents Required | Daily Fiat Deposit | Withdrawal Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unverified | Email only | 0 | 0 |
| Basic (Verified) | ID + face scan + address | Equivalent of 50,000 USDT | 8,000,000 USDT/day |
| Advanced | Basic + proof of address + source of funds | Equivalent of 2,000,000 USDT | 2,000,000 USDT/day |
For the vast majority of retail users, "Basic (Verified)" is more than enough. Only institutions, high-volume traders, or users doing large OTC deals need Advanced KYC.
Q: Does KYC have to use an ID card? Can I use a passport instead? A: Yes, a passport works. Both are accepted for most users, and a passport can actually be more reliable (some reviewers are less familiar with certain national ID formats). Users abroad should generally use a passport first.
Q: Can minors complete Binance KYC? A: No. Binance requires users to be at least 18 years old. The date of birth on your document is checked automatically, and anyone under 18 is rejected immediately.
Q: How long before an unfinished KYC submission gets cleared out? A: Drafts are kept for 24 hours. After that, you'll need to re-upload everything from scratch.
Q: Can I retry immediately after a failed KYC attempt? A: Yes, but each failure comes with a cooldown of 30 minutes to 2 hours. Failing 3 or more times in a short window can trigger risk controls, so it's best to wait out the cooldown before trying again.
Q: Can I deposit crypto while KYC is still pending? A: Yes. Depositing doesn't require KYC, but any crypto you deposit can't be traded or withdrawn until KYC is approved.
Q: Can someone else complete KYC on my behalf? A: Absolutely not. If verification-by-proxy is ever detected, the account is permanently frozen and any funds inside it become unrecoverable. Binance's facial recognition uses liveness detection, so photos and videos won't pass either.
KYC is the most fundamental step on Binance — nothing else works until it's done. Get your documents ready, find a well-lit spot, and you can wrap it up in about 10 minutes. If you get stuck on any particular step, our KYC Verification category has more targeted guides.