Merchant onboarding
What you'll need to onboard.
Gather these before you start and verification takes minutes rather than days. Find your country and business type below for the exact list.
Safewire is a regulated Money Services Business (FINTRAC #M23442840), so before a merchant account goes live we verify who you are and that your business is real — the same checks a bank would run, done in your onboarding app. This page is the first stage of that process, Level 1, and it's the only stage most merchants ever see.
Everything is uploaded from your phone or laptop; clear photos are fine. In some cases we may ask for additional documents — if we do, we'll tell you exactly what and why. Questions before you start: compliance@safewireworld.com.
Every application
These five apply wherever you are. Your country-specific documents come on top.
Photo ID
A valid government-issued photo ID (passport preferred) for the owner and, for companies, each director and beneficial owner we verify.
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 personal address. Accepted local forms are listed under your branch below.
Tax ID Proof
Evidence of your business tax identification. What this is called depends on where you are — see your branch below.
Proof of Business Activity
Something that shows your business is real and trading — a website, storefront photos, recent invoices, or platform listings.
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.
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.
This replaces the registration certificate if you trade under your own name — 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 — traced through any holding companies to real people (your ISC register, for CBCA corporations).
Tax ID Proof
Your CRA Business Number (9-digit BN).
Power Of Attorney
If it appliesAuthorisation for the person opening the account to act for the company.
Only needed if the person onboarding isn't a director.
Good to know
- A Certificate of Compliance can't be issued if your annual return is overdue — file it first and everything goes faster.
- Have your ownership chart ready if there are holding companies between the corporation and its owners.
Sole proprietor
Sint Maarten
One-person businesses (eenmanszaak) registered on the Dutch side of the island.
In addition to the five above
Chamber of Commerce Registration
A certified excerpt from the COCI Commercial Register showing your Chamber Registration Number.
Order the certified excerpt from COCI — an on-screen search printout isn't accepted for official use.
Business Licence
If it appliesYour business licence from the Ministry of TEATT, where required for your situation.
Tax ID Proof
Your CRIB number declaration from the Inspectorate of Taxes.
Good to know
- For proof of address, your census registration form (no older than six months) is the accepted local document.
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.
Chamber of Commerce Registration
A certified COCI Commercial Register excerpt, no older than three months.
Business Licence
Your TEATT Business Licence for the NV/BV.
Have the Director's Licence ready too — it's uploaded as a supporting document during onboarding.
Shareholder / UBO Register
Your shareholders' register and beneficial-owner details (25%+). The COCI UBO registry is closed to third parties, so these come from you.
Director Register
Your current list of managing directors.
Tax ID Proof
Your CRIB number declaration from the Inspectorate of Taxes.
Good to know
- COCI excerpts can be ordered in English and apostilled if you need them for anything else.
- For directors' proof of address, the census registration form (no older than six months) is the accepted local document.
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, plus an attestation fiscale from the Pôle Fiscal de Saint-Martin and your TGCA number where you're liable for it.
Good to know
- For proof of address, any standard justificatif de domicile less than three months old works.
- Saint-Martin has no VAT — TGCA is the local equivalent, so we'll never ask you for a VAT number.
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, plus an attestation fiscale from the Pôle Fiscal de Saint-Martin and your TGCA number.
Good to know
- Directors are listed on the Kbis itself, so no separate director register is needed.
- Saint-Martin has no VAT — TGCA is the local equivalent, so we'll never ask you for a VAT number.
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, or an iPhone on iOS 16 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, or an iPhone on iOS 18 or later with iCloud Keychain.
- Those devices support passkey-based encryption, so restoring on a new phone needs nothing more than your account and your screen lock.
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.
Not sure which list is yours?
Tell us where you're registered and what you sell, and we'll confirm exactly what to prepare.