Identity Verification: What You Need to Know (APAC)

We’re often asked by customers why they need to verify their accounts. The short answer is that all regulated financial institutions are legally obliged to verify the identity of their customers. By taking a minute or two to let us know who you are, you’re helping us fight back against financial crime, such as fraud, bribery and corruption, money laundering, identity theft and terrorist financing.

Read on for a more detailed look into why verification is so important - and for a step-by-step guide on how to do it yourself.

What is identity verification?

Identity verification is a process employed by businesses to ensure their customers are who they say they are. This is done by verifying the authenticity of a customer’s photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, to confirm that it's associated with the identity of a real person.

Why do I need to verify my account?

As a regulated institution, we’re required by law to verify the identity of all our customers. This helps us keep your money safe and prevents criminals from using Wirex for illegitimate purposes. Identity verification if just one part of the Know Your Customer (KYC) process, which aims to ensure that customers of financial services are genuinely who they claim to be, and that their money comes from a legal, legitimate source.

All customers must verify their accounts before they can start using Wirex. But the good news is it takes no time at all!

What will Wirex do with my information?

The security of your personal information is our top priority. Check out our Privacy, Data Use and Retention Policy here to see how we collect and process various categories of personal information at the start of, and for the duration of, your relationship with us.

Which documents do I need to submit for verification?

Your Proof of Identity document should be a valid government-issued document and needs to match the personal information you provided when creating your Wirex account.

Please check that your document includes:

1. Your full name
2. Your date of birth (DOB)
3. Your photo
4. The document’s expiration or validity date
5. High-quality colour images of any one of the supported documents are acceptable:
   1. A valid government-issued passport (the page with the machine-readable code ONLY)
   2. A valid government-issued identity card (both sides)
   3. A valid government-issued driving licence (both sides)
   4. For non-residents: a work permit, a resident card or any other identification document issued by the host country.

I'm having trouble entering my name – what am I doing wrong?

Make sure to enter both your first, middle (if any) and last names, exactly as they are written in your identification document. Here are some examples.

Which documents are accepted in my country?

Please note: Your documents must be in English.

How do I upload my documents?

When it's time to verify your identity, you’ll be automatically redirected from the Dashboard to the Verify your Identity screen. You can also start the verification process by going to Preferences and then Profile.

Step 1: Upload your Proof of Identity (POI) document

To verify your Wirex account, simply follow these steps.

1. Go to Preferences > Profile > Tap Verify Identity.
2. On the Confirm Personal Information screen, complete the fields, check them for accuracy and tap Next.
3. On the Confirm Mobile Phone screen, enter your mobile phone number and confirm it using the SMS code we sent to your registered number.
4. On the Identity Verification screen, tap Choose document and select the type of a document you want to provide for verification.
5. Take a photo of your POI document. Once you are satisfied that the picture of your POI is clear and fully readable, tap My document is readable to submit the image.

Please note: Pictures of Proof of Identity documents or selfies opened on a computer screen will not be accepted. Make sure that the image of your document is not blurred, it doesn’t show any glare and it is not cropped, so that all details are clearly readable.

Step 2: Upload your video selfie

1. On the Video Selfie Verification screen, tap Take a video selfie. Make sure you follow the instructions on the screen.
2. After you’ve gone through all the steps, tap Finish recording. If you need to record the video again, tap Retake video.
3. Once you are satisfied that your selfie clearly shows your whole face, tap Submit video.
4. You’re all done!

To note: You will see a confirmation message. This means your documents were successfully submitted for processing. Once your documents are verified, you will receive an email and an in-app notification.

I’m unable to verify my identity - what should I do?

Here’s what you should do.

1. Check your inbox for an email from us prompting you to confirm your email address. You’ll need to follow the link in this email to verify your account.
2. If you haven’t received an email from us, check your spam or junk folder.
3. If your app has crashed, refresh it and try again.

Please note: If you continue to experience problems verifying your account, please submit a request to our Support Team here. We will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

I’ve been asked to verify my address. How do I do that?

Check out our guide to verifying your address here.

I've been asked to complete a Source of Wealth Questionnaire and provide additional information such as my employment and residential history. Why is this necessary?

As part of our continuous efforts to remain compliant with MAS626 guidance, we may occasionally request that customers provide us with additional information or documentation, in order to successfully verify their identity.

Which countries is Wirex available in?

Please see a list of supported countries here.

Need a visual aid?

Check out our ‘How to Wirex’ video series on YouTube. We’ve got a video on everything from verifying your account to referring a friend - in three different languages!

English - Chinese - Filipino

Is my information safe with Wirex?

We employ the latest technology to keep your information and funds as safe as possible. Here are some of the ways we look after your personal data.

Email confirmation

Your Wirex account is linked to your email address. This means that funds cannot be transferred out of your Wirex account without email confirmation.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

2FA is an extra layer of security that helps keep your funds and data as safe as possible. It requires users to provide two means of identification before accessing their account. These two levels are your password and a unique special code generated by an authentication app, installed on your smartphone.

Multi-signature technology

Every Wirex account is protected by BitGo's multi-signature technology. This makes it impossible to transfer funds without the permission of every party involved.

Monitoring

Our sophisticated monitoring software and analysis tools can detect unusual behaviour on your account, helping reduce the risk of money laundering and fraud.

Verification

We require verification before any major change is made to your account, such as disabling 2FA or changing your email address. This makes sure that you’re the only one who can make changes to your account or personal details. Account-related requests can only be addressed by our Support Team if initiated from your Wirex-linked email address.

Why should I verify my account?

Once your account is verified, you’re all set to experience a wealth of Wirex benefits. Here are just a few of the things you’ll unlock.

• Spend your crypto in real life in more than 61 million locations around the world, with the Wirex card
• Effortlessly exchange 30+* crypto and traditional currencies in the Wirex app at exclusive OTC and interbank rates.
• Pay zero fees on all fiat-to-fiat exchanges.
• Earn up to 6% Savings Bonus (12% for a limited time only) on the balance of your WXT account.
• Stack up to 2% Cryptoback™ rewards on all in-store and online purchases made with your Wirex card.

What are you waiting for? Open the app and verify your account now! 

*A handful of cryptocurrencies are not available for users in Singapore. For full list of currencies here.