1. Paxful Knowledge Base (Customer Help Center)
  2. Account Verification
  3. Account Verification

Account Verification

  • Why verify my account?

    We all want to live and do business in a safe and trustworthy environment. Additional verification helps to create high-quality partnership both between Paxful and our users and amongst traders on our marketplace. This becomes possible by means of KYC. Overall, there are 4 verification levels. All of them bring benefits to Paxful users:

    Level 1

    • Requires email verification.
    • Requires phone verification.
    • Increases the security level of your account.
    • Provides access to a higher amount of offers.
    • Creates a higher level of trust, positively affects your reputation.
    • The trading volume limit is up to $1,000.

    Level 2

    • Requires ID verification.
    • Increases trading volume limits.
    • Provides access to additional trading methods such as Bank Transfer.
    • Provides the opportunity to create your own offers.
    • The trading volume limit is up to $10,000.

    Level 3

    • Requires address verification.
    • Increases trading volume limits.
    • Removes the need to have 0.02 BTC on balance to make your offers to buy bitcoin visible on the public listing.
    • Trading volume can be $10,000 and higher.

    Note: For users from the United States all three levels are mandatory.

    Level 4

    • Requires additional verifications such as EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence) or CDD (Customer Due Diligence).
    • Increases trading lifetime volume limits.
    • May be acquired only for significantly high volume corporate accounts.
    • Trading volume can be $50,000 and higher.

    And the last, but not the least important thing. If for some reason you will lose access to your account, it will make it easier to restore it.

    Please check our Blog for more information.

  • Verification levels

    Verification is an important part of Paxful as we aim to make the trading experience on our platform as safe as possible. The following table lists out our various verification levels along with their corresponding benefits:

    Level Verification Needed Per Trade Limit Trade Volume Lifetime Limit Send from Wallet Lifetime Limit Receive to Wallet Lifetime Limit
    0 None $0 $0 $0 Unlimited
    1 Email and Phone $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 Unlimited
    2 ID $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 Unlimited
    3 Address $50,000 Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
    4 Enhanced Due Diligence Higher than $50,000 Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited

     

    Note: 

    • The per trade limit for a trade is calculated based on the total volume of all active trades available for your current level.  
    • These limits apply from August 06, 2020. If your account was created prior to this date, you will receive an email requesting you to complete additional verification.

    Warning: 

    • In order to create an offer, you need to be ID-verified.
    • To send funds from your Paxful wallet, you need to verify your email and phone.
    • Check if your country is on the OFAC grey list. In case if your country is on the list, to send funds from your Paxful wallet or to sell bitcoin, you need to be ID-verified.

    Here are some additional cases which may require verification. Please visit our knowledge base for more information on the verification process.

  • Email verification

    Email verification is an essential process to start trading on Paxful. It also adds a layer of security to your account for you to restore or unlock your account if needed. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to successfully verify your email.

    1. Log in to your Paxful account, hover over your username on the top right of the page and click Settings from the context menu that appears.
      Email_verification_1.png
      The Settings page appears.

    2. Under Verify email address click Resend email. 
      Email_verification_2.png 
      A verification email is sent to your registered email address. 
    3. Open the email in your inbox received from noreply@paxful.com, and click Confirm Email. Your email address is verified successfully. 

    Note:

    • You can request a new confirmation email only once every 20 minutes.
    • If you do not find our email in your regular inbox, please check your Spam or Junk email folders as well.
    • If your email is verified, you can set a custom username in your Account settings. NB! This can be done only once!

    After verifying your email, we recommend you also verify your phone number and set up two-factor authentication for your account.

     

  • Phone verification

    Before you start trading on Paxful, you must have your phone number verified. This also provides additional security to your account. For example, if your account is locked due to security reasons, you can easily unlock it if you have a phone number registered to your account. A verified phone number is also essential for two-factor authentication (2FA). Here is how you can verify your phone number on Paxful.

    Note: Before you begin, you need to verify your email first.

    1. Log in to your Paxful account, hover over your username on the top right of the page and click Settings from the context menu that appears.
      Email_verification_1_2.png
      The Settings page appears. 
    2. On the menu on the left side of the page, click Profile.
      clickProfile.png
    3. Enter your phone number in the PHONE field and click Verify or Use a phone call instead.
      CLickVerify.png

      Note: We recommend the Verify option as the call option is not supported in all countries.

    4. a) Phone call option
      You receive a phone call with the numeric confirmation code. Listen carefully to the code and enter it in the field below and click Submit. Your number is verified.
      b) Verify (SMS) option
      You receive an SMS with the numeric confirmation code. Enter the code in the field below and click Submit. Your number is verified.
      ClickSubmit.png

      After confirming your phone number, consider activating 2FA and verifying your ID.

     

     

  • ID verification

    ID verification elevates your trading experience to a new level. We have done our best to make this process as easy as possible for you. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you verify your ID on Paxful.

    Before you begin, please ensure that you have verified your phone and email.

    Video Guide

    Step 1 Open Verification Page

    Step 2 Insert Your Details

    Step 3 Provide ID Photo

    Step 4 Complete Face Verification

    Video Guide

    Here is a short video that walks you through the verification process:

    Step 1 Open Verification Page

    1. Log in to your Paxful account, hover over your username located on the upper right of the page and click Verify Me.
      ID2.1.png
      A dialog box with the verification video guide appears. 

    2. After watching our video, click Continue verification.
      ID2.2.png
      The Verification page appears.

    Step 2 Insert Your Details

    1. Fill in the fields on the ID verification form.
    ID2.3.png

    Field Name Description
    Country your photo ID is from Select the country that issued your ID.
    Type of photo ID Select the type of ID you are submitting.

    2. Click Start verification process. 
    ID2.4.png
    The photo ID verification page appears. 

    Step 3 Provide ID Photo

     

    1. On the ID verification page, click Start.
    StartVerificationNew.png
    The Submit identity card page appears.

    2. Choose whether you want to take a photo of ID or to upload an existing file from your device.
    ID_verification1NEW.png

    Note: Want to continue your verification on a mobile phone? Click Prefer to use your mobile?

    Take Photo

    To take a picture of your ID, make sure your document is ready and follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

    1. Click Take photo.
    TakePhotoNEW.png

    2. Click Start.
    ID2.7.png

    Warning: Give the application permission to access your device camera.


    Place your ID in the center of the screen and make sure all the necessary details are visible: 

    • your face on the document
    • document number
    • your full name

    3. Click the Camera icon to capture the image.
    ID2.7.1.png
    The image is captured and displayed on the screen. 

    4. If the image is clear, click Confirm. If the photo is not legible or if you are not satisfied with it, click Retake and try again.
    ID2.8.png

    Repeat the process once again to capture the backside of your  ID card or Driving license. In the case of a passport, simply continue to the next step.

    Upload file

    If you want to upload a file from your device,

    1. Click Upload file.
    UploadFileNEW.png
    The Upload image page appears. 

    2. Click Choose file and select a file from your device.

    ID2.10.png 

    3. Click Choose another file if you want to retry. If you selected the right file, click Confirm.
    ID2.11.jpg

    Repeat the process once again to capture the backside of your ID card or Driving license. In the case of a passport, simply continue to the next step.

    Step 4 Complete Face Verification

    The next step after submitting your ID is to complete your face verification. To verify your facial identity.

    1. On the Face verification page, click Continue.
    ID2.12.png
    Center your camera page appears.

    2. Make sure your camera is working and placed correctly. Click Continue.
    ID2.13.png

    The application activates your device camera so you can click a picture of your face.

    3. Once you are ready, click Start.

    selfiestartFinal____.png
    While clicking the picture, keep the following points in mind:

    • Look straight into the camera.
    • Make sure you are dressed decently and are not wearing glasses or hats.
    • Follow the instructions by moving your face closer to the camera.
    • Fit your face into the oval frame.

    In case of an error, click Try again. In case of success, your photo will be sent automatically to our Verification Team.
    ID2.14.jpg

    Note: If your attempt has failed, consider increasing the amount of light in the room.

    You’ll be notified about your application in just a few minutes! Check your notification inbox to find out if your application was approved or declined. You will also receive an email with the result of your verification. 

    Note:

    • There is a lifetime limit of 5 verification attempts for each user!
    • If you have not received an answer within 24 hours, it means that your document is going through manual verification. Manual verification may take more than 2 days (2-7 days).
    • Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, manual verification processing times may be longer than usual (3-10 days). Thank you for your patience. 

    If you have any questions or face any issues, contact us at verification@paxful.com or via our contact form. After completing your ID verification, feel free to verify your address as well.

     

  • Is ID verification mandatory?

    We encourage all our users to get their identity verified. However, verification is mandatory in the following cases:

    • Users who reach an equivalent of 1,000 USD in trade volume or wallet activity per year must complete ID verification.
    • All users from the USA, EU, Canada, UK, and OFAC grey list countries require ID verification to do wallet withdrawals and trades for any amounts.
    • Users who reach 10,000 USD in trade volume or wallet activity per year must complete ID and address verification.
    • Users who reach higher trade volumes or engage in certain wallet activity may be subjected to enhanced due diligence and may be asked for additional information, including video verification. 
    • Users trading bitcoin for cash in person and cash by mail for trades higher than 50 USD must complete ID and address verification.
    • Users wanting to create an offer to buy bitcoin must complete ID verification.
    • Users wanting to create an offer to buy or sell bitcoin for cash in person and cash by mail must complete ID and address verification.

    What if I don’t want to verify my account?

    Those who choose not to verify their ID or address can still continue to use Paxful services but they will be subject to a trade and wallet limit put in place for unverified users. Read more about verification levels here.

  • Verification processing time

    All information and documents you submit for account verification are reviewed through our automated or manual verification methods. Depending on which method can be used to verify your details, account verification times can vary.

    Listed in the table below are the estimated processing times for each verification type:

    Verification Type Verification Method Estimated Processing Time
    Email Automated Instant
    Phone Automated Instant
    ID Automated 24 hours
    ID Manual 2-7 days
    Proof of address (POA) Automated 24 hours
    Proof of address (POA) Manual 2-7 days

    Note:

    • Automated ID and address verifications take up to 24 hours. If you have not received an answer within 24 hours, it means that your document is going through manual verification.
    • Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, manual verification processing times may be longer than usual (3-10 days). Thank you for your patience.

     For more information on the topic, check our ID verification and address verification guides.

  • ID verification requirements

    ID verification is an important aspect of building a successful profile on Paxful. This article lists out the main requirements for quick and successful ID verification. The requirements are as follows:

    • You must be 18 years or older.
    • You must have a valid email address.
    • Only personal documents can be used.
    • Only the following ID types are accepted:
      • Passport
      • National ID card (in the new format)
      • Driver license
      • Voter’s card (Nigeria only)
      • Tax ID
      • Domestic passport (Russia only)
      • See the full list here.
    • ID documents should be valid up to the date of the verification request submission.
    • Paper format of ID documents is not accepted.
    • The selfie should be in a photograph of you and not a scanned picture of you.
    • All files uploaded should be original. No editing is allowed.
    • All files should be clearly visible, high quality, JPEG format, all information should be legible, should not be covered by any passport covers or other objects.
    • Information on the document should match the information provided on the form.
    • If your document is written in a language that does not use the English alphabet, you may still use it for verification. If your native language is not yet supported by our verification provider, you will receive a message: Unsupported ID.
    • Your country of citizenship is not on our list of banned countries.

    List of acceptable documents

    Below, you will find a list of all documents per country that you can use to successfully pass ID verification on Paxful.

    Country

    ID Card

    Passport

    Driver License

    Other
    Afghanistan No Yes No  
    Albania Yes Yes Yes  
    Algeria No Yes No  
    Andorra No Yes No  
    Angola No Yes No  
    Antigua and Barbuda No Yes No  
    Argentina Yes Yes Yes  
    Armenia Yes Yes No  
    Australia Yes Yes Yes  
    Austria Yes Yes Yes  
    Azerbaijan No Yes No  
    The Bahamas Yes Yes Yes  
    Bahrain Yes Yes Yes  
    Bangladesh Yes Yes Yes  
    Barbados Yes Yes Yes  
    Belarus No Yes Yes  
    Belgium Yes Yes Yes  
    Belize No Yes No  
    Benin Yes Yes No  
    Bhutan No Yes No  
    Bolivia Yes Yes No  
    Bosnia and Herzegovina Yes Yes No  
    Botswana Yes Yes Yes  
    Brazil Yes Yes Yes  
    Brunei No Yes Yes  
    Bulgaria Yes Yes Yes  
    Burkina Faso No Yes No  
    Cambodia No Yes No  
    Cameroon Yes Yes Yes  
    Canada Yes Yes Yes  
    Cape Verde No Yes No  
    Chad No Yes No  
    Chile Yes Yes Yes  
    China Yes Yes Yes  
    Colombia Yes Yes Yes  
    Comoros No Yes No  
    Costa Rica Yes Yes Yes  
    Cote d'Ivoire No Yes No  
    Croatia Yes Yes Yes  
    Cyprus Yes Yes No  
    Czech Republic Yes Yes Yes  
    Denmark Yes Yes Yes  
    Djibouti No Yes No  
    Dominica No Yes No  
    Dominican Republic Yes Yes No  
    Ecuador Yes Yes Yes  
    Egypt No Yes No  
    El Salvador Yes Yes Yes  
    Equatorial Guinea No Yes No  
    Eritrea No Yes No  
    Estonia Yes Yes Yes  
    Eswatini No Yes No  
    Ethiopia No Yes No  
    Fiji No Yes No  
    Finland Yes Yes Yes  
    France Yes Yes Yes  
    Gabon No Yes No  
    The Gambia No Yes No  
    Georgia Yes Yes Yes  
    Germany Yes Yes Yes  
    Ghana Yes Yes Yes  
    Greece Yes Yes Yes  
    Grenada No Yes No  
    Guatemala Yes Yes Yes  
    Guinea No Yes No  
    Guinea-Bissau No Yes No  
    Guyana No Yes No  
    Haiti No Yes Yes  
    Honduras Yes Yes Yes  
    Hungary Yes Yes Yes  
    Iceland No Yes Yes  
    India Yes Yes Yes  
    Indonesia Yes Yes Yes  
    Ireland Yes Yes Yes  
    Israel No Yes Yes  
    Italy Yes Yes Yes  
    Jamaica Yes Yes Yes  
    Japan No Yes No  
    Jordan Yes Yes Yes  
    Kazakhstan No Yes No  
    Kenya Yes Yes No  
    Korea, South No Yes No  
    Kosovo No Yes No  
    Kuwait Yes Yes No  
    Kyrgyzstan No Yes No  
    Laos No Yes No  
    Latvia Yes Yes Yes  
    Lesotho No Yes No  
    Liberia No Yes No  
    Liechtenstein Yes Yes Yes  
    Lithuania Yes Yes Yes  
    Luxembourg Yes Yes Yes  
    Macao Yes Yes No  
    Macedonia Yes Yes Yes  
    Madagascar No Yes No  
    Malawi No Yes No  
    Malaysia Yes Yes Yes  
    Maldives No Yes No  
    Mali No Yes No  
    Malta Yes Yes Yes  
    Marshall Islands No Yes No  
    Mauritania No Yes No  
    Mauritius Yes Yes No  
    Mexico Yes Yes Yes  
    Micronesia, Federated States of No Yes No  
    Moldova Yes Yes Yes  
    Monaco No Yes No  
    Mongolia Yes Yes Yes  
    Montenegro Yes Yes Yes  
    Morocco Yes Yes No  
    Mozambique No Yes No  
    Myanmar (Burma) No Yes No  
    Namibia No Yes No  
    Nepal Yes Yes Yes  
    Netherlands Yes Yes Yes  
    New Zealand Yes Yes Yes  
    Nicaragua Yes Yes No  
    Niger No Yes No  
    Nigeria Yes Yes Yes  Voter's card
    Norway Yes Yes Yes  
    Oman No Yes Yes  
    Pakistan Yes Yes No  
    Palau No Yes No  
    Panama Yes Yes No  
    Papua New Guinea No Yes No  
    Paraguay Yes Yes Yes  
    Peru Yes Yes Yes  
    Philippines Yes Yes Yes  
    Poland Yes Yes Yes  
    Portugal Yes Yes Yes  
    Qatar No Yes Yes  
    Romania Yes Yes Yes  
    Russia Yes Yes Yes Domestic Passport
    Rwanda Yes Yes No  
    Saint Kitts and Nevis No Yes No  
    Saint Lucia No Yes No  
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines No Yes No  
    Samoa No Yes No  
    San Marino No Yes No  
    Sao Tome and Principe No Yes No  
    Saudi Arabia No Yes Yes  
    Senegal Yes Yes No  
    Serbia Yes Yes Yes  
    Seychelles No Yes No  
    Sierra Leone Yes Yes No  
    Singapore Yes Yes Yes  
    Slovakia Yes Yes Yes  
    Slovenia Yes Yes Yes  
    South Africa Yes Yes Yes  
    Spain Yes Yes Yes  
    Sri Lanka No Yes Yes  
    Suriname No Yes No  
    Sweden Yes Yes Yes  
    Switzerland Yes Yes Yes  
    Taiwan Yes Yes No  
    Tajikistan No Yes No  
    Tanzania No Yes No  
    Thailand Yes Yes No  
    Togo No Yes No  
    Tonga No Yes No  
    Trinidad and Tobago No Yes No  
    Tunisia No Yes Yes  
    Turkey Yes Yes Yes  
    Turkmenistan No Yes No  
    Uganda Yes Yes Yes  
    Ukraine Yes Yes Yes  
    United Arab Emirates Yes Yes Yes  
    United Kingdom Yes Yes Yes  
    United States of America Yes Yes Yes  
    Uruguay Yes Yes Yes  
    Uzbekistan No Yes No  
    Vanuatu No Yes No  
    Venezuela Yes Yes Yes  
    Vietnam Yes Yes Yes  
    Zambia No Yes No  
    Zimbabwe No Yes No  

     

  • Address verification

    Address verification is an important part of our KYC. It provides you with even more possibilities on our platform. Here is a guide on how to go through this process.

    Before you begin, make sure you have successfully passed our ID verification.

    Step 1 Open Verification Page

    Step 2 Insert Your Details

    Step 3 Upload Proof of Address

    Step 1 Open Verification Page

    1. Log in to your Paxful account, hover over your username located on the upper right of the page, and click Verify Me.
      VerifyMe.png
      A dialog box with the verification video guide appears. 
    2. After watching our video, click Continue verification.
      COntinueVerif.png
      The Verification page appears.

    Step 2 Insert Your Details

      1. Fill in the fields on the address verification form.
        AddressFormNew.png

    Field Name Description Comments
    Country of Your Residence Select your current country of residence.  
    Type of Proof of Address Document Select the type of document you are submitting. Accepted documents: utility bill, bank statement, credit card statement.
    Region/State Select your current state or region of residence.  
    City Your city of residence. As shown in your document.
    Address Line 1 Enter your address. As shown in your document.
    Address Line 2 Continue your address. This is optional.
    Postal Code Your postal code. As shown in your document.
    1. Click Start address verification.
      AddressForm2New.pngThe Address verification page appears.

    Tip: To see examples of good proofs of address, click Show examples.

    Step 3 Upload Proof of Address

    1. Click Upload files. Upload the document you selected.

      Note: Remember to submit a proof of address that is less than 3 months old. If you do submit an older document, you will have to restart the verification process.

      addressupload1___.png

    2. After choosing the file click Continue. If you want to choose another file, click Upload files and retry.

      kyc_bank_statement___.jpg

    You’ll be notified about your application in just a few minutes (5-10min)! Check your notification inbox if your application has been approved or declined. You can also check your email inbox.

    Note:

    • There is a lifetime limit of 5 verification attempts for each user!
    • If you have not received an answer within 24 hours, it means that your document is going through manual verification. Manual verification may take more than 2 days (2-7 days).
    • Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, manual verification processing times may be longer than usual (3-10 days). Thank you for your patience.

    In case of any questions or issues, please contact verification@paxful.com or  help@paxful.com.

  • Address verification requirements

    Address verification is an important step towards validating your profile on Paxful. Your proof of address must meet the following requirements: 

    • It must be a legal and traceable document (e.g. scanned papers, official PDF downloads, etc.) displaying your full name and residential address. 

    Example: 

      • utility bill
      • bank statement
      • credit card statement (please note we are having issues with credit statements at the moment)
    • The address must be your current physical residential address (no older than 3 months). P.O. box address is not accepted.
    • Your document should be in English (Latin letters).
    • Your document must be in full color and must not be cropped.
    • The address on the document must match with the address entered by you.
    • If your document is written in a language that does not use the English alphabet, please have it translated and attach the following declaration along with the document: “I hereby certify that the attached document is an official and accurate translation of my document (document type). If found otherwise, Paxful has my authorization and full right to suspend my account and not refund the balance due to false information (Name and translation date)(Signature)."
      A review of such a request may take up to two weeks.

    Here're the samples of great proofs of address. They are clear, legible, well lit, and have all the information we require:

    POA_example_1.pngPOA_example_2.png

    See our address verification guide for more details.

  • Verification for payment methods

    Trading on Paxful in some cases requires verification. The following table lists such scenarios:

    Payment Method Buy Bitcoin Sell Bitcoin Create Offer Verification Requirements
    All     Buy and sell bitcoin ID verification
    Cash in person     Buy and sell bitcoin ID and address verification
    Cash by mail     Buy and sell bitcoin ID and address verification
    Cash in person 50 USD or more per trade 50 USD or more per trade   ID and address verification
    Cash by mail 50 USD or more per trade 50 USD or more per trade   ID and address verification

    For additional information on verification, see our ID Verification Guide and learn more about the various verification levels. 

     

  • Verification issues and solutions

    There are several reasons why your ID verification may be denied. Here are the most  common reasons: 

    You uploaded an unreadable or low-quality photo.
    Submit a fresh verification request on our website. Login and upload everything as required. Please note that the image must be in JPEG format and of high quality. Ensure that the picture is up close and the contents are legible. Remove all covers from the document and make sure it is not masked by any other object.
    You uploaded an incorrect document.
    Submit a fresh verification request using any of the accepted ID documents such as your passport, National ID card, Tax ID, driving license, or voter’s card (National ID card should be in a new format - not in a paper format). Other ID documents such as your student ID cards are not accepted by our verification provider. 
    You uploaded an ID in paper format.
    Submit a fresh verification request using any of the accepted ID documents such as your passport, National ID card, driving license, or voter’s card (National ID card should be in a new format). The document must not be in paper format.
    Your ID and selfie were interchanged during upload.
    Submit a fresh verification request and upload your document and selfie in the appropriate sections on the Paxful verification form. Please make sure that both your document and your selfie are clearly visible and are of high quality. 
    Your ID has expired.
    If you received an error message that your identification has expired, you can upload an alternative ID such as your passport, national ID, or driver’s license. The new ID you upload must have an expiry date on it. 
    You provided documents that do not belong to the account holder.
    Please upload documents with details that match the details on your account: name, last name, country. The photograph on the ID must match with the selfie you submit. 
    Your documents were edited and not original.
    Resubmit a verification request with the original documents without any edits to them. Pictures must be in full color, without any cropping or manipulations of any kind. 
    You have an issue taking a selfie.
    If you get an error message during our liveness check (where you click a selfie for us to match with the image on your ID), this could be because the app is restricted from accessing your device camera. For example, if the application does not have access to your phone camera. Ensure that the browser or the app has access to your respective device camera. Alternatively, you can try the verification process on a different browser or device.
    You uploaded a picture of a scanned photo instead of taking a selfie.
    Our verification provider does not accept images of a scanned photograph in the place of a selfie. Upload original digital photos only. The uploaded picture must be in JPEG format and of high quality. Ensure that the picture is up close and clear.
    Your ID is in a language with non-Latin letters.
    If your document is written in a language that does not use the English alphabet, you can still use it to apply for verification. If you receive a message "unsupported ID", it means your native language is not supported by our verification provider yet. In this case, please try another valid document, preferably in English.
    You have reached the limit of verification attempts.
    You can make a maximum of 5 attempts to verify yourself in a lifetime. If you have used up your 5 attempts, you cannot proceed with verification.
  • List of banned countries, OFAC

    As of October 2018

    As a US company, we comply with Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") sanctions. The OFAC is a division of the US Department of the Treasury that administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United​ States. As such, some are broad-based and oriented geographically (i.e. Cuba, Iran). Others are “targeted” and focus on specific individuals and entities.

    OFAC banned countries

     Users and traffic from the following countries are banned for Paxful:

    • Burundi
    • Central African Republic Sanctions
    • Cuba
    • Crimea region 
    • Iran
    • Iraq
    • Lebanon
    • Libya
    • North Korea
    • Republic of Congo
    • Somalia
    • South Sudan-related Sanctions
    • Sudan and Darfur
    • Syria
    • Yemen

    OFAC grey/high-risk countries

    Users from these countries have to verify their ID before they can send out or sell bitcoin:

    • Albania 
    • Belarus
    • Bosnia and Herzegovina 
    • Bulgaria
    • Democratic Republic of Congo
    • Croatia (Hrvatska)
    • Kosovo
    • Macedonia
    • Montenegro 
    • Romania 
    • Russia 
    • Serbia 
    • Slovenia 
    • Venezuela 
    • Zimbabwe 

    Additionally, as we fully co-operate with all OFAC and Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked persons lists, we block individuals who threaten international stabilization efforts as defined by OFAC in the regions of:

    • Balkans
    • Democratic Republic of the Congo-Related
    • Western Balkans area and Belarus as part of Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions
    • Venezuela related sanctions
    • Zimbabwe related sanctions

    Furthermore, we use the OFAC Consolidated sanctions list which covers non-SDN sanctions designations under the following programs:

    • Foreign Sanctions Evaders (FSE) List
    • Sectoral Sanctions Identifications (SSI) List
    • Palestinian Legislative Council (NS-PLC) list
    • The List of Foreign Financial Institutions Subject to Part 561 (the Part 561 List)
    • Non-SDN Iranian Sanctions Act (NS-ISA) List
    • List of Persons Identified as Blocked Solely Pursuant to Executive Order 13599 (the 13599 List)

     Globally, we screen the following lists:

    • UN Consolidated Sanctions list which covers various UN Security Council Resolutions
    • The EU Consolidated Sanctions list which covers the following programs enforced by the EU Security Council and maintained by the European External Actions Service:
      • Arms embargoes
      • Trade restrictions, such as import and export bans
      • Financial restrictions
      • Restricting movements, such as visa or travel bans
    • HM Treasury Consolidated list covers entities designated under the following regulations:
      • ‘UK listing only’ – listed under TAFA 2010 only
      • ‘Both UK and EU listing’ – listed under TAFA 2010 and under the EU’s asset-freezing regime
      • ‘EU listing only’ – listed under EU’s asset freezing regime. The prohibitions are found in Council Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 with penalties given by TAFA 2010.