KYC & AML Policy

In practice, KYC at Sterling Fondvale 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 do not ask for your online banking password, your full card PIN, or remote access to your device. No member of our team will ever request those. Any message that does is not from us and should be reported through the abuse form.

AML safeguards extend beyond a single identity verification. They encompass account risk assessment, sanctions and politically-exposed-person checks, constraints on atypical deposit patterns, documentation, internal notification of questionable conduct and, where relevant legislation mandates it, notification to the appropriate regulator.

Where AML rules and a client instruction conflict, the AML rules take priority. That can mean a delayed transaction, a request for additional documents, or a restricted account until the matter is resolved.

1. 01

   Legal obligation

   Financial institutions that handle or move customer funds are typically obligated to establish the identity of their clients prior to offering services. This obligation is mandatory and applies without exception to all accounts.

2. 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.

3. 03

   Keeping the platform clean

   Screening keeps sanctioned parties and anonymous shell activity off the platform, which protects every other client using it.

4. 04

   Faster payouts later

   An account that has been verified upon opening does not require additional checks during the withdrawal process, preventing delays at moments when they are least acceptable.

1. Identity document

A government-issued document that shows your photograph, full name, date of birth, document number and expiry date. Commonly accepted types are a passport, a national identity card, or a driving licence where it is issued as a photographic identity document. The document must be valid and not expired.

2. Proof of address

A current document, normally produced within the preceding several months, displaying your full name and your residence location as shown in your profile. Frequent instances include a utility invoice, a financial institution or payment card invoice, a regional levy or local authority notice, or an official communication from a government body. Mailbox addresses and locations in another person's name are not permitted.

3. Proof of payment method

Evidence that the funding instrument belongs to you. For a card, that is normally an image of the card showing your name, the first six and last four digits and the expiry date, with the remaining digits and the security code covered. For a transfer from a bank account, that is a statement or confirmation in your name showing the account identifier. For an electronic wallet, a screenshot of the account profile showing your name and the account identifier.

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.

1. 01

   Register

   Open the account using your lawful given name, date of birth, nation of residence, email address and contact number. Data discrepancies with your verification materials represent the chief source of hold-ups.

2. 02

   Confirm contact details

   Confirm your email address and, where requested, your phone number. This proves the contact channels belong to you.

3. 03

   Upload your identity document

   Submit the sections displaying your likeness and identifying information. Certain verification processes incorporate a brief identity confirmation or facial recognition component to authenticate the material is held by the person depicted.

4. 04

   Upload proof of address

   Upload a recent qualifying document in your name at the address on file.

5. 05

   Confirm the payment method

   Provide proof of the instrument you will use to fund and to receive withdrawals.

6. 06

   Screening and review

   The compliance department examines the submission, performs the necessary sanctions and risk assessment checks, and either grants approval or seeks modifications.

7. 07

   Confirmation

   You receive a notification once the account status changes. The current status is always visible in the verification area of your account.

Processing duration is contingent on submission volume, submission clarity and if any extra evaluation is initiated. The approval timeframe relevant to your submission, along with the current condition of each file, is visible in your profile dashboard - this public timeframe is the reference point to use, not any alternative estimate.

• Clear, complete, unedited uploads are reviewed fastest.
• Submissions sent outside regular hours are arranged for handling on the subsequent business day.
• Enhanced review, where required, adds time and is communicated to you.

If a decision is unclear to you, contact support and ask for the reason. Where the law permits us to explain, we will.

What is monitored

Monetary movement, shifts in payment method, shifts in nation or communication channels, conduct deviating from the description you provided at signup, and conduct flagged by our review mechanisms.

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.
• Adjustment of the limits published in your account.
• Restriction or closure of the account where the law requires it.

Records

Customer identification information and payment history are kept for the duration mandated by governing rules following the termination of the connection, and are handled per our Privacy Policy. In certain circumstances the law prevents us from telling a client that a report has been made.

• Supply truthful, present and thorough information, and maintain its accuracy.
• Draw only from your personal reserves and your individual payment options - under no circumstances someone else's.
• Keep one account only, and keep your credentials private.
• Act on document demands by the deadline provided in the demand.
• Tell us promptly if you change country of residence, legal name or payment method.
• Report any suspected unauthorised access to your account immediately.

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.

Licenses & regulatory information