Payment activation verification

An overview of payment activation verification, when it applies, and the integration methods available for platforms enabling connected accounts to accept payments.

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Payment activation verification — previously referred to as Know Your Business (KYB) — is the compliance process Airwallex runs when a business connected account will accept payments as Merchant of Record through the Airwallex payment gateway. It verifies the business's identity and legitimacy before payment capabilities can be activated.

A connected account must complete onboarding verification before payment activation verification can begin. Whether this stage is required depends on your payments gateway model. If your connected accounts are not acting as Merchant of Record, payment activation verification does not apply.

Payment activation verification applies only to full connected accounts for businesses that accept payments through the Airwallex gateway; ledger-only and withdrawal accounts do not go through this stage. Business type alone does not determine eligibility — requirements vary by payment method and market. Use Payment method onboarding requirements, Regional availability, and Understand onboarding requirements to confirm what applies for your markets and payment methods.

Airwallex supports three integration methods for payment activation verification. The right choice depends on how much control you want over the experience and how much development effort you can invest.

Integration methods

Integration method	Description	Best for	Development effort
Embedded component	A pre-built UI component hosted by Airwallex and embedded in your platform via an iframe	Platforms that want a branded experience with minimal coding	Minimal
Hosted flow	A redirect to an Airwallex-hosted full-page flow	Platforms that want to reach market quickly with minimal setup	Minimal
Native API	A fully custom payment activation UI built on Airwallex APIs	Platforms that require complete control over the experience	High

Embedded component

The embedded component is a pre-built UI element that you embed directly into your platform using an iframe. Airwallex hosts the component and collects the business information required for payment activation. This lets you deliver a conversion-optimized experience without building your own form.

Hosted flow

The hosted flow redirects account holders from your platform to an Airwallex-hosted full-page form to complete payment activation verification. It is the fastest path to market, requiring no custom UI development.

Native API

The native API gives you complete control over the payment activation experience. You build your own UI and use Airwallex APIs to collect and submit business information directly. This approach requires more development time and maintenance, but it allows you to fully customize every aspect of the flow—including layout, language, and field presentation.

Review and outcomes

After a connected account submits payment activation information, Airwallex reviews the application before payment capabilities are activated. Status moves from Inactive to Under review, then to Active or Failed.

Approval can be full or partial. When payment methods are only partially approved, some methods may still be activating, some may be rejected for fixable issues (for example, website requirements), and some may be unavailable for other reasons. Check the Payments section in the Airwallex web app for the latest payment method status.

If verification is declined, next steps depend on the reason:

Some declines are remediable. After you address the issue, you can submit a new application.
Some declines are final. Airwallex cannot support the business for payments acceptance, and you cannot re-apply for that decision.

Outcome	Typical cause	What you can do
Website not ready or not accessible	Submitted URL cannot be reviewed	Make the site live and publicly accessible, then submit a new application.
Unclear business model	Site does not clearly show products or services, or how customers buy	Update the website so offerings and purchase paths are clear, then submit a new application.
Payment methods rejected for website requirements	Specific methods need site content that is missing	Review Payment method onboarding requirements, update the site, then re-apply for those methods.
Incomplete application or no response	Required information was not provided in time	Gather the missing information and submit a new application if you still want payment acceptance enabled.
US acquiring person requirements not met	Application needs a US-eligible person on the business	Ensure at least one person has a country of residence that matches their ID issuing country and has a US phone number, then resubmit.
Final risk or policy decline	Business cannot be supported for payments	You cannot re-apply for this decision. Other Airwallex products and services may still be available.