Reviewed guide | 2026-10-18
Moved from a green ID book to a smart ID card? Updating your exchange verification
If you verified an exchange account with an older South African ID document and now hold a smart ID card, some platforms may ask you to update. Here is how to prepare, upload and avoid mismatches.
Multiple exchanges | South Africa | ZAR | fees, access and account safety
Many South Africans opened exchange accounts years ago using the green barcoded ID book, and have since switched to the smart ID card or renewed a passport. The identity number stays the same, but the document, its photo and sometimes the way your name is printed change. Exchanges may ask for the new document when the old one expires on their records, during a periodic review, or before allowing a higher limit. Updating calmly, before a deadline forces it, avoids a frozen withdrawal at an awkward moment.
Check what the exchange currently holds
Open the identity or verification section of your account on each exchange and see which document type and expiry date are on file, where shown. Some platforms display a prompt when an update is needed; others only ask when you attempt a specific action. If you hold accounts on several exchanges, make a short list of which document each one has, so you can update them one by one rather than discovering a mismatch during a withdrawal.
Prepare the smart ID card images
The card has information on both sides, so expect to upload front and back. Photograph it on a dark, plain surface in good daylight, with all four corners visible and no glare across the photo or barcode area. Do not use a scanned photocopy or a picture of a picture. Make sure the name on the card matches the name on your exchange profile exactly; if your surname changed since your original verification, that change needs to be handled as well.
Walk through the update and the selfie step
Start the update from the exchange app rather than a link in an email. Choose the document type that matches, upload both sides and complete the liveness or selfie step in a well-lit room without a hat or glasses. If the system rejects the image, read the reason given and fix that specific issue rather than resubmitting the same photo. Approval times vary, and the verification page shows the current status.
After approval, check linked details
Once approved, confirm that your profile still shows the correct name and that bank accounts used for rand deposits or withdrawals are still accepted, since many exchanges require the bank account name to match the verified identity. Keep a note of which exchanges you updated and when. When the smart ID card eventually needs replacing, or you renew your passport, you will know exactly where to repeat the process.
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Scenario checkpoint
- Note which ID document and expiry each exchange has on file before updating.
- Photograph both sides of the smart ID card in daylight with all corners visible.
- Confirm the name on the card matches your exchange profile exactly.
- Start the update from the app and fix the specific rejection reason if one appears.
- After approval, check that linked bank accounts still match your verified name.
Digital assets are volatile and derivatives can amplify losses. This website has no login, wallet connection, deposit form or customer-support chat.