# KYC for crypto grants: what's asked and why > KYC for crypto grants: why funders check identity, what individuals and companies submit, when it happens, data privacy and options for pseudonymous builders. Last reviewed 2026-10-31. Dates are UTC. KYC for crypto grants is the identity check a funder runs before it pays you. Programs usually run it after approval and before the first payment, to meet sanctions rules and their own legal and tax obligations. Individuals typically submit a government ID and proof of address, sometimes a tax form; companies go through KYB with registration documents and owner details. ## Key takeaways - Timing differs by program: Ethereum Foundation ESP grantees verify their identity after selection, RootstockCollective starts with KYB or KYC through Persona before you post a proposal, and Metaplex DAO asks for KYC ideally within 3 days of submitting. - Sanctions are the hard limit: OpenSats cannot fund grants tied to countries or programs on the US OFAC sanctions list, and Tether excludes sanctioned persons, wallets and jurisdictions. - Thresholds exist: Zcash Community Grants requires KYC only for approved grants above $50,000, and grantees can stay pseudonymous in public. - Pseudonymous builders have options: OpenSats welcomes pseudonymous applicants, and the MAGIC Monero Fund lets you apply under a pseudonym but requires you to identify yourself before payout. - Tax paperwork can be part of it: World One requires an IRS Form W-9, and MAGIC Grants asks for ID and tax information. ## Why do crypto grant programs require KYC? Crypto grant programs require KYC (know your customer) because a foundation or company paying money has legal duties that do not change when the payment is in tokens. The main reasons: 1. **Sanctions law.** Funders generally may not pay sanctioned people, entities or countries. In the US the Treasury's [Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)](https://ofac.treasury.gov/) administers these sanctions, and other countries have their own lists. Wallet addresses can be screened too: Tether excludes sanctioned wallets. 2. **Anti-money-laundering rules.** Foundations, their banks and their auditors expect to know where money goes. 3. **Tax and reporting duties.** A payer may need tax forms from recipients; which forms depends on where the payer and recipient are. 4. **A contract needs a counterparty.** A grant agreement is signed with a named person or company. Filecoin Open Grants, for example, requires that the agreement and the payments go to the same party (its reviews have stalled since April 2026). 5. **Fraud and duplicate applications.** Identity checks help stop one person from collecting the same grant under several names. This is a description of why funders do it, not legal advice about your obligations. If your situation is unusual, ask a lawyer. ## What do you have to submit for grant KYC? What you submit depends on whether you are paid as a person or as a company, and on the verification provider the program uses. These are typical requests; each program decides its own list. ### Individuals - A government photo ID: passport, national ID card or driving license. - A selfie or short video, so the provider can match you to the ID. - Proof of address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement. - Date of birth, nationality and country of residence. - A tax form when the payer needs one. US payers commonly ask US persons for an [IRS Form W-9](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9) and non-US individuals for a Form W-8BEN. World One, an in-person San Francisco residency for solo builders who can work in the US, requires a W-9. - The wallet address that will receive funds, which may be screened. ### Companies (KYB) KYB (know your business) is the same check for a company. Expect to provide: - A certificate of incorporation or an extract from the company registry. - Names of directors and of the person authorized to sign. - Beneficial owners: the people who ultimately own or control the company, commonly anyone holding 25% or more. They may each need individual KYC. - Registered address and tax identification number. ### Teams Programs differ on who in a team gets checked. The [Stellar Community Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/stellar-community-fund) requires every contributor to pass SDF's KYC or KYB check and notes that some jurisdictions have added restrictions. Horizen requires founder KYC before agreements are signed. Arbitrum's D.A.O. Grant Program required KYC or KYB with one named point of contact per team; its Season 3 closed in March 2026 with no Season 4 proposed. ## When does KYC happen? KYC happens at different points in different programs, from before you apply to after you win. Here is when some programs in web3grant's directory run it, as of October 2026: | Program | When | What | | --- | --- | --- | | [RootstockCollective](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/rootstock-collective-grants) | First step, before the forum post | Pre-screening and KYB or KYC via Persona | | [Algorand xGov](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/algorand-xgov) | To become a proposer | KYC with your proposer profile | | [Metaplex DAO](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/metaplex-dao-grants) | Right after submitting, ideally within 3 days | KYC | | [ESP](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/ethereum-foundation-esp) | After selection | Identity verification and a formal grant letter | | [dYdX Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/dydx-grants-program) | After the approval email | KYC and a contributor agreement, then work starts | | [Starknet Seed Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/starknet-seed-grants) | Onboarding | KYC or KYB and an agreement before STRK is paid | | [Zcash Community Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/zcash-community-grants) | After approval, grants above $50,000 | KYC; you can stay pseudonymous in public | | Cardano Treasury | After the vote, before the contract | Intersect's KYC or KYB due diligence | Status notes matter here. ESP had no Wishlist or RFP items open as of October 1, 2026. Algorand xGov still accepts proposals, but payouts wait on a Foundation top-up of its treasury and a newly elected Council. The Sui Foundation's past RFP grants followed the after-selection pattern: selected teams completed identity checks and signed a milestone agreement. The Sui Foundation no longer runs open developer grants as of October 2026; its [programs and funding page](https://www.sui.io/programs-funding) describes what it offers now, and our [Sui grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/sui-grants) guide covers the change. ## How long does grant KYC take? The deadline around KYC matters more than the check itself. Project Catalyst's 2026 pilot on Cardano gave teams two weeks to complete KYC or KYB and a Statement of Milestones to receive the 40% build payment; that pilot closed in August 2026 with no next round announced. World One gives ten days from an offer to sign the terms and finish identity verification, KYC, sanctions screening and the W-9. KYC can also start a clock. Arbitrum's Season 3 gave grantees six months from KYC to finish their work. Common causes of delay are names that do not match across documents, expired IDs, and company documents that need translation or certification. Prepare them before you apply. ## Privacy: who sees your documents? Your documents usually go to a verification provider, not to the reviewers who judged your proposal. RootstockCollective, for example, uses Persona. Before you upload anything, it is reasonable to ask the program: - Which provider handles verification? - Where is the data stored, and for how long? - Who at the program can see it? - How do you request deletion when the grant ends? If you live in the EU or UK, data protection law (the GDPR) gives you rights to access your data and, in many cases, to have it deleted. Being verified does not have to mean being public: Zcash Community Grants lets KYC'd grantees stay pseudonymous in public. Send identity documents only through the program's official portal or provider. Someone asking for your passport in a direct message is not a grant program; see our guide to [crypto grant scams](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/crypto-grant-scams). ## Can you get a crypto grant without KYC? Sometimes, within limits, but assume KYC before payment unless the program says otherwise. The options in our data, as of October 2026: - **Below a threshold.** Zcash Community Grants requires KYC only for approved grants above $50,000. - **Pseudonymous applications.** The [OpenSats General Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/opensats-general-fund) welcomes pseudonymous applicants, though it still does due diligence and cannot fund grants tied to OFAC-listed countries. The [MAGIC Monero Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/magic-monero-fund) lets you apply under a pseudonym, but you must identify yourself to MAGIC Grants, with ID and tax information and a sanctions check, before payout. - **On-chain treasuries.** Our records list no KYC step in the on-chain process for Polkadot and Kusama OpenGov treasury spends. The Kusama Vision bounties, by contrast, require a verified identity on the Kusama People chain. Rules change, and a program can add KYC to any step. For more routes, see [crypto grants for individuals](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/crypto-grants-for-individuals) and [getting a crypto grant without a company](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/crypto-grant-without-a-company). ## What if you can't pass KYC? Some applicants are excluded by rule, so check before you spend time on a proposal. Sanctioned persons and jurisdictions are excluded by [Tether Grants and Bounties](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/tether-developer-grants), OpenSats, the Kusama Vision bounties and the Ethereum Protocol Fellowship's stipends (the fellowship's Cohort 8 dates have not been announced). Aptos excludes restricted persons under its Terms of Use. The dYdX Grants Program lets applicants in restricted jurisdictions apply, but they face stricter review and may not be paid in DYDX. Age rules exist too: Project Catalyst required applicants to be 18 or over, and Tether requires 18 or the age of majority where you live. If you are unsure, ask the program before applying. For what comes after verification, read [what happens after you get a Web3 grant](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/after-you-win-a-web3-grant) and our guide to [Web3 grant agreements](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-agreements). ## FAQ ### Is KYC required for every crypto grant? KYC is not required for every crypto grant, but many programs that sign agreements and pay builders run an identity check before payment. Exceptions and thresholds exist: Zcash Community Grants requires KYC only above $50,000, and OpenSats accepts pseudonymous applicants while still doing due diligence. Check each program's rules before applying, and assume KYC will be needed before the first payment. ### What documents do you need for crypto grant KYC? For crypto grant KYC, individuals usually need a government photo ID, a selfie or video check and recent proof of address, and sometimes a tax form such as a US W-9 or W-8BEN. Companies going through KYB need registration documents, director details and information on beneficial owners. The exact list depends on the program and its verification provider. ### Can a company take the grant instead of you personally? A company can usually receive a crypto grant instead of an individual if the program accepts entities, in which case it goes through KYB. Its directors and main owners may still need individual KYC. Some programs check every contributor anyway: the Stellar Community Fund requires every contributor to pass SDF's KYC or KYB check. ### Is it safe to send ID documents for a crypto grant? Sending ID documents for a crypto grant is reasonably safe when you use the program's official portal or its named verification provider, such as Persona for RootstockCollective. Never send documents by direct message, email to an unverified address, or to anyone who contacted you first about a grant. Ask the program how long your data is kept and how to request deletion. --- From web3grant: https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-kyc. Program details change often: confirm on each program's official site before applying.