Q: Document-upload KYC or database (non-doc) KYC — which should my offer require?

Q: Document-upload KYC or database (non-doc) KYC — which should my offer require?

A: KYC means 'know your customer' — proving a user is a real, eligible person. Two flavors, very different friction.

Document KYC asks for an ID photo plus a selfie/liveness check. It's the strongest proof and often legally required (gambling, crypto, lending), but it crushes conversion — expect 20-40% drop-off at the upload step.

Database KYC (also called eKYC or electronic verification) checks the user's name, address, and date of birth against credit-bureau and government records silently in the background. Almost no friction, but it only confirms the identity exists and matches — not that the person holding the phone owns it.

Choose by risk and law:
— Regulated, high-value, or high-fraud verticals: document KYC, no shortcut.
— Low-value signups, newsletters, soft leads: database checks are plenty.
— Smart middle path: database first, escalate to document only when the silent check is thin or flags risk (called step-up verification).

Short version: database KYC for friction-sensitive low-risk flows, document KYC where law or payout demands certainty, step-up to bridge them.

Still stuck? Drop your case in the comments.