KYC & AML Policy
Prior to funding or initiating withdrawals, all GCash accounts undergo verification. This section outlines the verification procedure, eligible documentation types, expected timeframes and your responsibilities.
- Identity checks on every account
- Documents handled confidentially
- Ongoing transaction monitoring
On this page
- What KYC means
- What AML means
- Why verification is required
- Accepted documents
- Verification steps
- How long it takes
- Why a check can fail
- Ongoing monitoring
- Your obligations
- Questions
What "Know Your Customer" means
Know Your Customer (KYC) is the standard process by which a financial service confirms that a client is a real, identifiable person, and that the information provided at registration is accurate.
In practice, KYC at GCash means we collect and confirm a small set of basic facts about you: your full legal name, your date of birth, your country of residence, your contact details and the payment method you intend to use. We compare the details you typed into the sign-up form with the details shown on the documents you upload.
What we do not do
We will never solicit your internet banking credentials, complete card PIN, or device access permissions. Our personnel will not request these under any circumstances. Messages asking for this information do not originate from us and should be submitted via the abuse reporting mechanism.
What "anti-money laundering" means
Anti-money laundering (AML) is the set of internal controls a financial service uses to prevent its platform from being used to move the proceeds of crime, to finance illegal activity, or to disguise the true origin of funds.
AML procedures extend beyond initial identity verification. They encompass account risk assessment, sanctions and PEP screening, monitoring of atypical transaction patterns, documentation requirements, internal flagging of questionable transactions and, where mandated by applicable legislation, disclosure to relevant regulators.
In situations where AML requirements and customer instructions diverge, AML requirements supersede. This may result in transaction delays, demands for supplementary proof, or account limitations until the issue is settled.
Why verification is required
- 01
Legal obligation
Entities managing or facilitating movement of client assets must establish client identity prior to service delivery. This requirement is non-discretionary and applies uniformly to all accounts.
- 02
Protecting your money
Verification ties an account to one identifiable owner. It makes account takeover far harder, and it means withdrawals can only be sent back to a payment method proven to belong to you.
- 03
Keeping the platform clean
Screening keeps sanctioned parties and anonymous shell activity off the platform, which protects every other client using it.
- 04
Faster payouts later
An account verified up front does not have to stop for checks at withdrawal time, which is when delays are least welcome.
Which documents are accepted
We ask for up to three categories of document. Files should be colour images or PDFs, fully in frame, unedited, with all four corners and all text legible.
1. Identity document
An official document issued by government authorities containing a photo, your complete name, birth date, document reference and validity expiration. Commonly recognized options include passports, state-issued identity cards, or photographic driver's licenses. The document must remain current and valid.
2. Proof of address
A current document, typically generated within recent months, bearing your name and residential location matching your account registration. Standard options include utility bills, financial statements, property tax correspondence, or official government communications. Postal box addresses and third-party addresses are not permitted.
3. Proof of payment method
Confirmation of your ownership over the payment source. For credit or debit cards, an image displaying your name, initial six digits, final four digits and expiration date, with middle digits and CVV obscured. For bank transfers, account documentation or verification under your name containing the account reference. For digital payment accounts, profile screenshot showing your name and account reference.
Formats and file size
Upload limits, accepted file types and any additional document requests are shown in the verification area of your account. Documents in a language other than the account language may require a translation; the compliance team will tell you if that applies.
The verification steps
- 01
Register
Create the account with your real legal name, date of birth, country of residence, email and phone number. Details that do not match your documents are the most common cause of delay.
- 02
Confirm contact details
Confirm your email address and, where requested, your phone number. This proves the contact channels belong to you.
- 03
Upload your identity document
Provide the sections containing your image and identification information. Certain verifications incorporate a brief biometric or facial confirmation to validate document authenticity.
- 04
Upload proof of address
Upload a recent qualifying document in your name at the address on file.
- 05
Confirm the payment method
Provide proof of the instrument you will use to fund and to receive withdrawals.
- 06
Screening and review
Our compliance team reviews the file, runs the required sanctions and risk screening, and either approves the account or asks for a correction.
- 07
Confirmation
You will be alerted when your account verification status is updated. Your current verification standing is accessible within your account's verification dashboard.
How long a check takes
Typical complete submissions receive evaluation within several hours or one to two business days. Submissions requiring additional review, language conversion or supplementary materials may require extended processing.
Processing duration varies based on submission volume, image quality and any specialized screening procedures. The applicable review schedule for your account and status of submitted materials are displayed in your account dashboard - this timeline takes precedence over alternative estimates.
- Verification proceeds most quickly with legible, comprehensive, unaltered submissions.
- Applications filed after regular business hours enter the queue for the following business day.
- Enhanced review, where required, adds time and is communicated to you.
Why a check can be rejected
A rejection is usually a document problem, not a judgement about you. In most cases you can simply re-upload and the account is approved on the second attempt.
| Reason | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| Image blurred, cropped or glare-covered | Re-shoot in daylight, flat on a dark surface, all four corners visible. |
| Document expired | Upload a currently valid document. |
| Name or birth date does not correspond to registered account information | Update account information or submit documentation supporting a lawful name modification. |
| Proof of address too old or not in your name | Submit a current, valid document addressed to your registered location. |
| Payment method belongs to a third party | Use an instrument in your own name - third-party funding is not accepted. |
| Altered, truncated to conceal details, or digital capture of a display | Submit an unmodified original image or PDF. |
| Residence in an excluded jurisdiction | Account opening is denied; reference our licensing information for applicable requirements. |
If a decision is unclear to you, contact support and ask for the reason. Where the law permits us to explain, we will.
Ongoing transaction monitoring
Verification is not a one-time event. Accounts and transactions are monitored for as long as the relationship lasts.
What is monitored
Funding and withdrawal patterns, changes of payment instrument, changes of country or contact details, activity that does not match the profile you gave at sign-up, and any activity flagged by our screening tools.
What can happen as a result
- A request for refreshed documents or an explanation of the source of funds.
- A temporary hold on a specific transaction while it is reviewed.
- Modification of account-specific usage ceilings.
- Limitation or termination of account access as required under governing regulations.
Records
Identification data and transaction records are retained for the period required by applicable law after the relationship ends, and are handled in line with our Privacy Policy. In certain circumstances the law prevents us from telling a client that a report has been made.
Your obligations
- Give accurate, current and complete information, and keep it up to date.
- Deposit exclusively personal funds and personal payment methods - do not use third-party resources.
- Maintain a sole account registration and safeguard your login information.
- Respond to document requests within the timeframe stated in the request.
- Notify us immediately of any updates to your country of residence, legal name or funding source.
- Notify us without delay if you suspect someone has accessed your account without permission.
Submitting falsified or altered documents is a serious matter. It leads to closure of the account and, where applicable law requires, notification of the competent authority.
Where to ask questions
If anything on this page is unclear, or you want to know the exact status of your own verification, ask us before uploading again.
Who reviews my documents?
A trained compliance reviewer. Files are stored on restricted systems, and access is limited to staff who need it for the check.
Can I start before I am verified?
You can register and explore the account, but funding, trading and withdrawals depend on the verification status published in your account.
Do I have to verify again later?
Possibly. Documents expire, addresses change and periodic refresh is a normal part of AML compliance. We will contact you if a refresh is needed.
How do I contact the compliance team?
Use the contact route on our contact page and mention "KYC" or "verification" in your message, together with the email address on your account. Please do not send document images by unsecured channels - upload them in the account area instead.
Get verified once, cleanly
Ninety per cent of delays come from three things: a blurred photo, an out-of-date address document, and a payment method in someone else's name. Fix those and most checks pass first time.
Need help with a document?
Our support team can tell you exactly which file was rejected and why.
- Check the verification area of your account first.
- Following this, reach out to our support team using the email address associated with your account.