Onboarding verification
An overview of the integration methods available for onboarding verification, including trade-offs and use cases to help you choose the right approach for your platform.
Onboarding verification is the mandatory compliance process Airwallex runs on every connected account before it can be activated. It confirms the account holder's identity, validates their documents, and screens for sanctions and anti-money laundering (AML) risks.
Airwallex supports three integration methods for onboarding 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, conversion-optimized 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 onboarding UI built on Airwallex APIs | Platforms that require complete control over the onboarding experience | High |
All three methods support AML screening and sanctions checks. The key differences are in customization, development effort, and support for deferred identity verification.
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 dynamically adjusts the fields it collects based on the account holder's country and business model. This lets you deliver a conversion-optimized onboarding experience without building your own form.
The embedded component supports advanced theming, giving you significant control over the visual appearance of the onboarding flow without the overhead of a full native integration. Deferred identity verification is not supported with this method.
Hosted flow
The hosted flow redirects account holders from your platform to an Airwallex-hosted full-page form to complete onboarding. Like the embedded component, the form dynamically adjusts for local compliance requirements and handles all identity collection. It is the fastest path to market, requiring no custom UI development.
The hosted flow supports basic visual theming to reflect your brand. Deferred identity verification is not supported with this method.
Native API
The native API method gives you complete control over the onboarding experience. You build your own UI and use Airwallex's Accounts APIs to collect and submit identity 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.
The native API is the only method that supports deferred identity verification, which allows account holders to begin limited operations before their identity documents are collected.
Deferred identity verification
By default, connected accounts must complete onboarding verification before they can be activated. Deferred identity verification is an alternative approach—available only with the native API method—that allows an account to be provisioned and to transact up to defined thresholds before identity documents are collected. Airwallex issues a request for information (RFI) when identity collection is required.
See also
To integrate onboarding verification into your platform, refer to: