How to Complete KYC for an OKX Corporate Account? Key Differences from Individual KYC

The core difference between a corporate account and individual KYC: Individual verification answers "Who are you?", while corporate verification answers "What is your company and who controls it?". Individual KYC mainly verifies identity and address, often completed in minutes. A corporate account requires submitting company registration documents, shareholder structure, and key personnel information. The process is much more complex and requires manual review.

Step 1: Understand the use cases for a corporate account

What to do: First confirm whether you genuinely need a corporate account or if an individual account is sufficient.

How to do it:

Corporate accounts are designed for users who trade in the name of a legal entity such as a company, fund, trust, or non-profit organization. If you are trading crypto as an individual, an individual KYC is all you need – you should not register a corporate account.

• Individual account: Holds assets in your personal name; KYC verifies your identity document.

• Corporate account: Holds assets in the name of a company or organization; KYC verifies the legal existence of the company and its Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs).

OKX provides two options at registration: choose "Individual account" or "Corporate account".

When is this step complete: You are clear about which path to take – choose Individual for yourself, Corporate for a company.

Step 2: Compare document requirements for individual KYC and corporate KYC

What to do: Understand exactly what each verification type requires – the differences are immediately clear.

How to do it:

Specific document checklist comparison:

Individual KYC requires:

• Nationality, ID type, ID number, full name

• Lv.2 requires uploading front and back photos of the ID and a selfie

• In some cases, supplementary proof of address may be requested

Corporate KYC requires (using a private company as example):

1. Company basic information: company name, registration number, date of incorporation, registered address

2. Key personnel information: at least one senior manager/executive, directors (if any), Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs)

3. Photos of ID documents for all key personnel

4. Company documents: Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, Register of Directors, Register of Shareholders (or a shareholding structure chart, signed and dated within the last 12 months)

5. If the business address differs from the registered address, proof of address is required

6. A signed account opening authorization letter (or board resolution)

7. Compliance questionnaire (such as the Wolfsberg Questionnaire or equivalent AML policy document)

When is this step complete: You understand the significant gap in document quantity and complexity between the two.

Step 3: Understand process differences between corporate and individual KYC

What to do: Recognize that the two verification paths are different – do not apply the individual process logic to a corporate application.

How to do it:

Individual KYC process:

1. Select "Individual account" in the App or on the website

2. Fill in details such as name, nationality, and ID number

3. Submit front and back photos of the ID and complete facial recognition

4. Automated system review; Lv.1 is usually instant, Lv.2 may take up to 3 days

Corporate KYC process:

1. Select "Corporate account" during registration

2. Fill in company information and key personnel details

3. Upload ID documents of key personnel

4. Scan and upload all company documents (Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Association, Register of Directors, etc.)

5. Fill in and upload the account opening authorization letter and AML questionnaire

6. Manual review – requires patience; processing time is noticeably longer than individual verification

When is this step complete: You know that corporate verification goes through a manual review channel and cannot be completed within minutes.

Common reasons for rejection

Common corporate KYC issues:

• Incomplete or untranslated company documents: If documents are not in English or a platform-supported language, they must be translated into English and uploaded as a PDF.

• Missing key personnel information: Not all required senior managers, directors, and UBOs have been provided.

• Shareholding structure chart older than 12 months: The document must be signed and dated within the last 12 months.

• The account opening authorization letter has not been signed as required.

Common individual KYC issues:

• Blurry, reflective, or incomplete document photos

• Name or ID number does not exactly match the original document

Risk reminders

• Once submitted, a corporate account cannot be directly converted to an individual account. Choose carefully at registration.

• Corporate accounts face significantly higher compliance requirements than individual accounts. Ensure your company's business is lawful and compliant. OKX does not accept corporate users from certain countries or regions.

• All documents submitted for a corporate account must be genuine and valid. Submitting false documents will result in permanent account freezing. OKX conducts due diligence in accordance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.

Next steps: First confirm your actual needs – are you trading personally or on behalf of a company? If individual, simply proceed with individual KYC, which is straightforward and fast. For a corporate account, prepare the Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Association, Register of Directors, Register of Shareholders, ID documents of key personnel, plus the account opening authorization letter and compliance questionnaire. Log in to OKX, select "Corporate account", follow the instructions to submit, and watch for notifications regarding manual review.