Merchant onboarding
What you'll need to onboard.
Answer two questions — where you're registered and how your business is set up — and we'll show you the exact list to gather before you start.
Safewire is built and run to the standard of Canada's federal financial-crime framework, so before a merchant account goes live, you and your business are verified — the same checks a bank would run. Verification happens as part of creating your account.
Merchants on Safewire are independent businesses. Each is responsible for its own regulatory obligations — including any registration and reporting required where it operates. Safewire equips them for it: complete transaction records and reporting exports, built for their auditors and their authorities.
Use this page to gather what you'll need before you apply — with your documents ready, you can complete the application in one sitting rather than stopping partway to hunt for paperwork. Most merchants need only Level 1 verification, and everything listed here relates to Level 1. Higher levels apply when a single transaction or your monthly volume passes certain thresholds, or when the nature of your business calls for it — and we'll tell you if that applies to you.
Everything can be uploaded from your phone or laptop, and clear photos of documents are fine. In some cases we may ask for additional documents — if we do, we'll tell you exactly what we need and why. Questions before you start: compliance@safewireworld.com.
Find your business
Pick the country you're registered in and how your business is set up. More countries are added as we open them.
Just using the wallet? No documents needed — see what your phone needs.
Your checklist
Pick a country and business type above, and your exact document list appears here.
Every application
These five apply wherever you are. Your country-specific documents come on top.
Photo ID
A valid government-issued photo ID — a passport is preferred. Identity is verified per person, in each person's own wallet: sole proprietors verify themselves, and for companies each beneficial owner completes verification in their own wallet — the company application itself collects company documents only.
Selfie
A liveness selfie matched to your photo ID — taken in the app during onboarding, nothing to prepare.
Proof of Address
A recent document showing your home address — a utility bill or a government document sent to your address, no more than three months old.
Tax ID Proof
If the business is a company, or has a tax ID separate from your own, give us the business tax ID. If you're not incorporated, your personal tax ID is what we need.
Proof of Business Activity
Something that shows your business is actively trading — a website, storefront photos, recent invoices, or links to your social media accounts.
Sole proprietor
Canada
Individuals doing business in Canada, registered or trading under their own legal name.
In addition to the five above
Registration Certificate
If it appliesYour provincial business name registration — in Ontario the Business Name Registration (formerly the Master Business Licence), in BC the Statement of Registration, or your province's equivalent.
Only needed if you trade under a name other than your own legal name.
Self-Employment Declaration
If it appliesA signed declaration that you operate under your own legal name with no registered trade name.
Not required if a Registration Certificate is provided — this replaces it when you trade under your own name, since Canada has no registration document for that case.
Tax ID Proof
Your CRA Business Number (9-digit BN) — for example a CRA confirmation letter — and your GST/HST number if you're registered.
Below the $30,000 small-supplier threshold, “not GST/HST registered” is a perfectly valid answer.
Good to know
- Check your business name registration hasn't expired — Ontario registrations last five years.
- The Ontario BIN is not your CRA Business Number — we need the CRA one.
Incorporated company
Canada
Federal (CBCA) and provincial corporations registered in Canada.
In addition to the five above
Certificate of Incorporation
Issued by Corporations Canada (federal) or your provincial registry. A recent Certificate of Status / Certificate of Compliance also works — and is preferred for older corporations, since it shows the company is still in good standing.
Articles of Incorporation
Your articles, plus any Articles of Amendment, Amalgamation, or Continuance.
Director Register
Your current list of directors — the federal Form 2 filing or a recent corporate registry profile showing directors.
Shareholder / UBO Register
Your central securities register or shareholder register, showing everyone who directly or indirectly owns or controls 25% or more.
Tax ID Proof
Your CRA Business Number (9-digit BN).
Power Of Attorney
If it appliesA copy of the authorisation document for the person opening the account to act for the company.
Only needed if the person onboarding isn't a director.
Good to know
- Your ownership chart needs to reflect the ultimate beneficial owners, in case some of the shareholders that own or control more than 25% of the shares are companies.
Sole proprietor
Cayman Islands
Sole traders licensed to carry on business in the Cayman Islands.
In addition to the five above
Trade & Business Licence
Your Trade & Business Licence from the Department of Commerce & Investment (DCI) — for a Cayman sole trader, the licence is the registration.
Licences run for twelve months and renew annually — make sure yours is current.
Good to know
- The Cayman Islands issues no personal or business tax identification numbers, so you won't be asked for one.
- Licence and renewal fees vary by business category — the current schedule is on the DCI website.
Sole proprietor
Sint Maarten
One-person businesses (eenmanszaak) registered on the Dutch side of the island.
In addition to the five above
Proof of Business Registration
A document establishing that you operate a business under the name registered to your merchant account, or an excerpt from the COCI Commercial Register showing your Chamber Registration Number.
Business Licence
If it appliesYour business licence from the Ministry of TEATT, if required by the nature of your business activities.
Tax ID Proof
Your CRIB number.
Incorporated company
Sint Maarten
BV and NV companies registered on the Dutch side of the island.
In addition to the five above
Articles of Incorporation
Your notarial Deed of Incorporation with the articles. Sint Maarten doesn't issue a “certificate of incorporation” — the deed plus the COCI excerpt are the equivalents.
Business Licence or Chamber of Commerce Registration
If it appliesYour TEATT Business Licence for the NV/BV if it applies based on the nature of your activities, or a copy of your COCI Commercial Register excerpt, no older than three months.
Shareholder / UBO Register
Beneficial-owner details for everyone holding 25% or more.
Director Register
Your current list of managing directors.
Tax ID Proof
Your CRIB number from the Inspectorate of Taxes.
Power Of Attorney
If it appliesA copy of the authorisation document for the person opening the account to act for the company.
Only needed if the person onboarding isn't a director.
Good to know
- COCI certified excerpts can be ordered online.
- Your ownership chart needs to reflect the ultimate beneficial owners, in case some of the shareholders that own or control more than 25% of the shares are companies.
Sole proprietor
Saint-Martin (France)
Entrepreneurs individuels and micro-entrepreneurs on the French side of the island, under French law.
In addition to the five above
Registration Certificate
Your extrait K from the RCS (Greffe de Basse-Terre), less than three months old — or, if you're a micro-entrepreneur or profession libérale not on the RCS, an INSEE avis de situation SIRENE or an INPI RNE extract.
Tax ID Proof
Your SIREN/SIRET number and your TGCA number, if applicable.
Good to know
- For proof of address, any standard justificatif de domicile less than three months old works.
Incorporated company
Saint-Martin (France)
SAS, SARL, and SA companies on the French side of the island, under French law.
In addition to the five above
Registration Certificate
Your extrait Kbis from the RCS de Basse-Terre, less than three months old (or an INPI RNE extract).
Articles / Memorandum of Association
Your statuts, signed and current.
Shareholder / UBO Register
Beneficial-owner details for everyone holding 25% or more — your RBE declaration. Public RBE access has been restricted since 2024, so these come from you.
Tax ID Proof
Your SIREN/SIRET number, and your TGCA number if applicable.
Power Of Attorney
If it appliesA copy of the authorisation document for the person opening the account to act for the company.
Only needed if the person onboarding isn't a director.
Good to know
- Directors are listed on the Kbis itself, so no separate director register is needed.
- Your ownership chart needs to reflect the ultimate beneficial owners, in case some of the shareholders that own or control more than 25% of the shares are companies.
Just using the wallet?
Then none of the above applies to you. There are no documents to gather: download the app, verify your phone number, and your wallet is ready. What matters instead is the phone you use — because your wallet is self-custodial, your device is what keeps your recovery simple.
What you need
- An Android phone running Android 9 or later.
- A screen lock switched on — PIN, pattern, or biometric.
- A phone number you can receive a verification code on.
What makes recovery easiest
- A phone signed in to a Google account with Google Password Manager.
- With passkey-based encryption, reinstalling on your current phone needs nothing more than your phone number and your passkey — and restoring on a new phone needs that phone signed in to your Google account, plus your screen lock.
iOS is coming soon. Planned requirements — not final until launch — are iOS 16 or later, with iOS 18 or later for the smoothest passkey recovery.
Restoring on a new phone needs your account sign-in and the screen lock from one of your existing devices — that pairing is what keeps your keys encrypted end-to-end, and it's why nobody, including us, can reach your funds. If your phone doesn't support passkey-based encryption, the app sets up an encrypted backup in your own Google Drive instead, locked with a password you choose. Either way the keys stay yours — see our Google OAuth & privacy policy for exactly how that backup works.
In some jurisdictions we're required to collect more information from a wallet owner, even though accounts are self-custodial. If that applies to you, you'll be told at the time you create your account.
Not sure which list is yours?
Tell us where you're registered and what you sell, and we'll confirm exactly what to prepare.