Bitcoin glossary
KYC
“Know Your Customer” — the identity checks exchanges are required to run.
KYC (Know Your Customer) refers to the identity verification — passport, selfie, proof of address — that regulated exchanges and brokers must collect before letting you trade. It ties your purchase history to your legal identity, permanently.
Bitcoin itself has no KYC; the requirement lives at the fiat on-ramps. Some buyers prefer no-KYC routes (P2P markets, ATMs, earning bitcoin) for privacy; the trade-offs are price and convenience.
The live number
On-ramps by KYC requirement