The process of verification on adult platforms can be more difficult than knowing your customer’s (KYC) checks on cryptocurrency exchanges – even if the added difficulty does not necessarily reflect stronger compliance.
Signing up as a model in only just or pornhubs is not all that differ in opening an account on a crypto trading platform. The process often begins with a Google -logging (or other online account, depending on the exchange), followed by a familiar ritual of selfies and ID uploading.
Both adult platforms and crypto exchanges are under the investigation of the investigation of how they proved users – one to prevent minors from selling explicit content, the other to stop criminals from laundering money.
To test how these systems work in practice, Cointelegraph attempted to pass identity checks on both types of platforms. The results show that adult sites often fail creators with repeated declines and unjust barriers, as crypto exchanges impose more structured checks tied to financial regulation.
KYC in crypto compared to only and pornhubs
Only for those, the verification exceeds a standard ID and selfie to include an address, many resubmissions and handle on social media. The application declined after the platform claimed the profile image and Selfie did not achieve its standards, even though they complied with the underlined conditions. It was later said that the given social media links were not valid even when they were legitimate.
The cointelegraph rejected the details, but the application was rejected again. When approaching for the comment, only the media team did not respond to specific questions. Instead, they defined the Transparency Center, stating that the platform was invested in technology and moderation teams.
Refusal of cointelegraph application is not a unique case. Only creators’ profiles have a low reception rate. In July, the platform received 184,844 creators applications, of which only 35% were approved.
Pornhub also declined the application of cointelegraph, mentioning only “others” as a reason. The second attempt using a passport was eventually approved, intentionally after a media inquiry. Pornhub did not respond to a request for comment.
Joshua Chu, an asset recovery and co-chair of the Hong Kong Web3 Association, has also conducted these trials alone. His only creator’s application was similarly rejected.
“I looked at joining as a performer, only to find the verification process more stringent than expected,” Chu told Cointelegraph. “Eventually I didn’t succeed.”
“At the same time, I opened and verified many crypto exchange accounts, including those who were not even officials who should work in Hong Kong, and the trade there has been proven to be less challenging,” he added.
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The Crypto Exchanges Coinbase, Bybit and Bitget focus their checks on financial documentation, funding resources and address proof. Cointelegraph attempted to pass KYC to each of these platforms to measure how their processes compared.
In Coinbase, the registration began with a Google logging and SMS verification, followed by questions about the job and the expected source of funds. The exchange requires proof of address by documents such as a bank or utility bill statement. The test was conducted on September 1, and a bank statement with minimal transactions submitted by Cointelegraph were rejected several times. The application is locked within 24 hours. Cointelegraph returned to the application after the time expired, and a statement to the July bank was accepted and approved. A small 6-euro deposit was made to Coinbase by its banking partner, based on Estonia’s LHV Pank, to test on-ramp.
The redirect of European Union users in its licensed subsidiary, which has completed the verification through standard ID checks. A video of an tilted passport needs to be done to show its hologram. The process is completed within minutes.
Bitget offered the fastest approval: a simple upload of ID and selfie to lock the crypto transfer for about 10 minutes. Further verification is required to exchange crypto against FIAT, which requires phone and email codes and a linked bank card.
Coinbase and Bybit did not respond to Cointelegraph’s request to comment on the story.
The Bitget, when asked how KYC’s verification of the platform immediately occurred, responding by stating that it depends on EKYC service providers and its review team.
“The adult content platforms, on the other hand, often rely on more conservative, sometimes manual or third-party checks-think of uploaded scans, liveness reviews or credit card checks,” Hon of, chief of legal bitget officials, in cointelegraph said.
“It’s not the adult sites are just more stringent; often, it’s the requirements themselves more murkier,” Ng said.
“For crypto exchanges, KYC is a well-talked about, familiar process; for age verification in adult content, the rules are newer, different meaning to constituents and voluntarily in privacy debates.”
How can crypans and crypto end with more strict verification
Identity checks are not always strict on any of the adult platforms or cryptocurrency exchanges. Both industries tight their processes only after scandals and pressure regulations that made the status not preserved.
Pornhub forced its system in 2020 after the opinion of the New York Times article Videos are revealed under the age and disagree with the site. Visa and MasterCard are fast suspended Payment services, as the platform removes millions of non -verified uploading and demands all content creators to pass government ID verification.
Only one who faced a similar investigation in 2021 as the platform exploded in popularity during the pandemia. A BBC News investigation has found that minors are selling and appearing on explicit platform videos. The BBC found cases of minor users using fake IDs and relatives’ social media social media to prevent platform restrictions.
In March 2025, the Commom’s UK Communication guardian punishable Only the parent company, Fenix International, 1.05 million British pounds (about $ 1.4 million) for providing inaccurate information about the age verification system. The regulator said it twice requested details to 2022 and 2023 about the platform’s “facial age” tool, which should hinder minors.
Crypto exchanges follow a parallel but separate path. For many years, platforms like Bitmex and Binance have allowed users to trade little or no verification, drawing financial regulators.
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Bitmex muna Arranged with US regulators in 2021Agree to pay $ 100 million due to anti-money laundering (AML) and registration failures. In 2024, the exchange Asked to be guilty of breaking the Bank Secrecy ActAnd in January 2025, a federal judge imposed another $ 100-million criminal fine with probation. Kucoin is a more recent example, seeking a sin in 2025 in operation as an unlicensed money transmitter and confessing to Pay nearly $ 300 million in penalties For optional and uneven KYC.
Those who are alone, pornhub and crypto have learned the hard way
In both industries, identity checks have become more difficult after a scandal and implementation that is not impossible.
Pornhubs and only prevent their standards after the revelations of underage users and child protection failures. Crypto exchanges have only made it after regulators imposing heavy fines and criminal charges for weak AML care.
From 2021, the Financial Action Task Force updated its global guide to Apply AML standards to CryptoThe exchange means to adopt KYC policies similar to banks.
“KYC is important for identifying and chasing bad actors; this is really the foundation of effective work to recover. However, in practice, I have noticed that some exchanges have gaps in their KYC data or will not fail to properly verify major documents such as proof address,” Chu said.
“With the rise of AI-generated fakes, these weaknesses have become more pronounced. Even with improvements, Crypto KYC standards are still missing behind traditional finances in integrity and complexity.”
Today, onboarding as a creator at an adult site may be involved in more hoops than opening an account with a crypto exchange, but that does not mean that their systems are safer or accurate. Only those do not expand on why Cointelegraph application has been rejected despite submitting accurate documentation and social profiles.
Both sectors ultimately share the same trajectory: the systems are only tight after crises exposes their weaknesses, and the tighter checks are now a product of lessons learned in a difficult way.
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