KYC for Crypto Exchanges 2026
Crypto exchange procurement teams need KYC + AML + ongoing monitoring + Travel Rule data sharing under one vendor commercial. Per-applicant costs typically $1.40-$2.40 blended. We map the regulatory drivers and the vendor short-list.
The regulatory drivers
A 2026 crypto exchange operating in the US, EU or UK is subject to multiple overlapping KYC and AML regimes that drive per-applicant verification costs higher than for most other verticals.
- FATF Recommendations 10 (CDD), 16 (Travel Rule) and 22 (DNFBPs CDD) apply to virtual asset service providers (VASPs). See the FATF Recommendations.
- US FinCEN requires registered MSBs (which include most US-facing crypto exchanges) to run a Customer Identification Program and Customer Due Diligence per 31 CFR 1010.230. See the FinCEN CDD final rule.
- UK FCA requires registered cryptoasset firms to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (as amended) and SYSC 6.3 financial-crime obligations. See the FCA Handbook.
- EU MiCA Regulation (Markets in Crypto-Assets) plus the EU AML framework apply across member states. See the European Commission's AML/CFT page.
What that means for the vendor shortlist
The combination of CDD, AML screening, ongoing monitoring and (for VASPs sending virtual asset transfers above the FATF de minimis) Travel Rule data sharing collapses your KYC vendor shortlist to those that publish or sell:
- Document + biometric verification
- PEP, sanctions and adverse media screening
- Ongoing monitoring at low per-entity rates
- Either native Travel Rule support or an integration with TRP, Sygna, Notabene, etc.
Published-pricing vendors for crypto KYC
| Vendor | KYC rate | AML | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumsub | $1.85 Compliance | Bundled | Default for regulated crypto, ongoing monitoring included |
| Veriff | $0.80 Essential + $0.64 AML | $0.64 add-on | Cheaper effective blended; ongoing monitoring $0.09/check |
| Shufti Pro | $0.95 Essentials | Bundled | Cheapest published with AML bundled below 20,000/mo |
| Didit | $0.33 Full KYC | Module $0.02-$2.00 | Cheapest KYC; AML pricing requires module quote |
| iDenfy | $1.35 Basic + $0.50 PEP | $0.50 add-on | Itemised add-ons let you skip what you do not need |
Worked example: 30,000 onboardings/month, full stack
Acme Crypto Exchange (illustrative example, not a real company) onboards 30,000 new customers per month and runs ongoing AML monitoring on a 500,000-customer existing book.
Ongoing monitoring on an existing book of 500,000+ customers is the big swing factor. Sumsub bundles it into Compliance at no separate per-entity charge; Veriff charges $0.09 per ongoing check, which compounds at high book size. Quote-only vendors do not disclose per-entity monitoring rates; contact the vendor for current pricing.
Quote-only vendors crypto exchanges commonly evaluate
- Jumio: long-standing roster of regulated crypto exchanges, deep document coverage. Quote-only.
- Onfido (Entrust): deep document subtype catalogue, bundled commercials. Quote-only.
- Persona: orchestration depth for routing decisions by risk tier. Quote-only.
What we do not estimate for you
We do not estimate Travel Rule data-sharing costs (TRP, Notabene, Sygna), in-house AML investigator headcount, or transaction-monitoring vendor fees (Chainalysis, TRM Labs, Elliptic). Those vary by exchange size, geographies and risk appetite and are not in this site's scope.