What is the definition of "Know Your Customer" (KYC)?
The initial phase in the anti-money laundering (AML) process, commonly utilized by financial institutions (FIs) when onboarding new clients, is known as "Know Your Customer" (KYC) . Its purpose is to verify and validate the customer's identity in order to assess the potential risk associated with their involvement in illegal financial activities. In the cryptocurrency industry, virtual asset Service Providers (VASPs) must comply with KYC requirements to safeguard customers against fraudulent behavior. The KYC process typically involves three steps: collecting pertinent personal information, comparing it with official identity documents, and authenticating the customer's identification by cross-referencing it with databases containing records of penalized individuals and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs). These procedures enable financial institutions to evaluate the risk of money laundering and other illicit activities related to customers' transactions involvi...