KYC requirements

swype

COMPLIANCE • PARTNERS & MERCHANTS

KYC requirements for Swype-issued cards

All Swype cards require KYC to activate. This article explains the two verification tiers, what triggers each one, and what it means for your program design.

AUDIENCE

Partners & Merchants

SCOPE

Onboarding & verification

LAST REVIEWED

June 2026

Summary: KYC is required to activate every Swype card. Cards under $1,000 require five basic personal data points. Cards at or over $1,000 — or where a cardholder's aggregate Swype balance reaches $1,000 — require full documentary verification including selfie and government-issued ID.

①

The two verification tiers

KYC requirements are tiered by card value and aggregate cardholder balance. The threshold is $1,000 — applied per card and across all Swype cards held by the same cardholder:

Tier 1 — Under $1,000

End users provide self-attested personal information only:

Full name

Email address

Residential address

Date of birth

Phone number

Tier 2 — $1,000+ per card or aggregate

All Tier 1 data, plus full documentary verification:

Selfie / liveness check

Government-issued ID document

②

How the $1,000 aggregate threshold works

The $1,000 trigger applies per card and across all Swype cards held by the same cardholder. A cardholder holding multiple lower-value cards can cross the threshold without any single card reaching $1,000:

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A single card issued at $1,000 or above triggers Tier 2 immediately at issuance

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A cardholder with existing Swype cards whose combined value reaches $1,000 triggers Tier 2 on the next card, even if that card is under $1,000

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Tier 2 verification must be completed before the card activates — issuance does not bypass the check

③

What can move these requirements further

The two-tier model is the baseline. Additional or stricter verification can be required based on:

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Card type — different products carry different risk and spend-limit profiles

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Geography — some jurisdictions mandate stricter verification by law

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Issuing bank — each issuer can set its own onboarding threshold above the program baseline

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Regulatory or scheme requirements — changes from card networks or regulators can apply retroactively to existing users

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Risk signals — unusual account or transaction behavior can trigger a step-up verification request on a specific user at any time

④

What this means for you as a partner

KYC is handled at the card program level, but your program design choices directly affect when and how it's triggered:

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If your program issues cards at or above $1,000, plan for Tier 2 verification as part of your onboarding UX — not as an exception flow

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Track aggregate cardholder balances if you issue recurring cards to the same person — the $1,000 threshold applies across all issuances, not per card

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A step-up verification request can be triggered on any individual user at any time, without advance notice to your platform

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Restricted-country screening applies independently of KYC tier — see the restricted countries policy for that scope

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Do not represent to end users that identity has been "verified" by Swype unless they have completed Tier 2 — Tier 1 is information collection, not document verification

Important

This framework is reviewed on an ongoing basis and may change without prior notice in response to regulatory, card scheme, or risk obligations. Partners should not rely on a cached copy of this policy — check back periodically or contact your account contact for updates.

Need clarity on a specific onboarding case?

Our compliance team can advise on edge cases involving elevated risk or step-up verification.

Contact Compliance →