Do you need ID to buy gold with crypto? What BitPay and 14 dealers say
Identity verification is part of paying for gold with crypto at almost every dealer we track, because 12 of the 14 send crypto payments through BitPay and BitPay's current support pages put verification before the invoice. Several dealers' own help pages still describe a one-time check only on orders over $3,000. That wording predates BitPay's latest guide, so expect to be asked even on a small order and treat the dealer's threshold as the older rule.
What BitPay says now
BitPay's guide to paying an invoice, updated October 12, 2026, says you "must first log in or create a BitPay account" before paying, and that if you haven't completed BitPay ID verification, "verification is required before continuing." A separate BitPay help-center article, "Why and when is BitPay ID verification required" (updated September 18, 2026), says it is required by applicable laws and regulations "to collect information about shoppers for any transactions" that use its service, including paying a BitPay invoice, and gives no dollar minimum.
BitPay's developer documentation, last updated about a year ago, gives a narrower list: verification for purchases over $3,000, for anyone receiving a refund or payout, and for VPN users. It also says the check is done once and then works "regardless of the merchant". That list is older than the help-center article above, which sets no minimum. BitPay's own help center says it collects shopper information for any payment through BitPay, with no minimum. Some dealer help pages still mention $3,000. Expect BitPay to ask for ID even on small orders.
Verification asks for your personal details, a photo of an ID document and a selfie, according to BitPay's how-to page (updated October 19, 2026). BitPay says its own wallet needs no verification because it is self-custody; the requirement attaches to paying invoices.
Each dealer's written rule
From each dealer's own pages. "None published" means we found no ID wording tied to crypto; it doesn't mean no check happens, since BitPay's rule sits on top.
| Dealer | What the dealer writes | Threshold | Processor | Source, date read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JM Bullion | "If your order totals over $3,000, you will be required to verify your identity"; checkout also takes name, billing address, phone and shipping address | over $3,000 | BitPay | help 118 (updated Dec 20, 2024), Oct 22, 2026 |
| BGASC | "For orders over $3,000, you will be required to identify your information with BitPay" | over $3,000 | BitPay (stated for Bitcoin) | help 818 (updated May 27, 2023), Oct 20, 2026 |
| Provident Metals | Same sentence as BGASC (both owned by JM Bullion) | over $3,000 | BitPay (stated for Bitcoin) | help 261, Oct 20, 2026 |
| Silver Gold Bull | BitPay may request ID after checkout; crypto payments may need valid photo ID and a matching address | none stated | BitPay | payment page, Oct 20, 2026 |
| Bullion Standard | "We may require additional verification for certain orders, such as a phone confirmation or proof of identity" (fraud policy, all payment types) | none stated | BitPay | FAQ, Oct 22, 2026 |
| SD Bullion | "All orders are inspected on a case-by-case basis ... Additional documentation is sometimes required to confirm identity"; you "login to Bitpay" after submitting the order | none stated | BitPay | payment-pricing, Oct 22, 2026 |
| APMEX | None published for crypto | none stated | BitPay | payment FAQ, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Kitco | None published; Bitcoin must come "directly from your wallet", not an exchange such as Coinbase | none stated | BitPay | payments FAQ, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Hero Bullion | None published | none stated | BitPay | payment methods, Oct 22, 2026 |
| Money Metals Exchange | None published | unknown | BitPay | buy page, Oct 16, 2026 |
| SchiffGold | None published | unknown | BitPay | FAQ, Oct 19, 2026 |
| Bullion Exchanges | None published | unknown | not stated | FAQ, Oct 20, 2026 |
| Sharps Pixley | Above £5,000: valid photo ID and proof of address dated within 3 months, requested after the transaction | over £5,000 | BitPay | crypto page, Oct 19, 2026 |
| Ainslie | Account and identity verification before trading | every trade | own trading desk | buy/sell, Oct 16, 2026 |
The three $3,000 rules all come from help articles about Bitcoin payments, the newest dated December 2024. BitPay's help center is newer and sets no minimum, so expect BitPay to ask for ID even on small orders at JM Bullion, BGASC or Provident Metals. Ainslie is the only dealer in the table that doesn't use BitPay, and it verifies every customer up front.
When verification comes up again
- Refunds. BitPay's developer documentation lists refund recipients among those who need BitPay ID. JM Bullion pays refunds in crypto at the new USD rate, and APMEX issues crypto refunds through BitPay at the USD rate on the refund date.
- VPNs. BitPay's developer documentation names VPN users as needing verification.
- Large orders by other methods. APMEX says wire orders over $500,000 "will need to be verified and are reviewed on a per order basis". That rule is about wires, not crypto.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy gold with crypto without showing ID?
At the 12 dealers that use BitPay, BitPay's current invoice guide says you need a BitPay account and, if you haven't done it already, ID verification before you can pay. None of those dealers describes a crypto route that skips it. Ainslie verifies identity before any trade. We found no dealer in our list that states crypto purchases are free of identity checks.
Is BitPay ID a one-time check?
Yes. BitPay's developer documentation says that once you complete BitPay ID, you won't need to repeat it "regardless of the merchant they are interacting with", so verifying for one dealer covers the others that use BitPay.
Why does JM Bullion say $3,000 if BitPay asks every time?
JM Bullion's help article dates from December 20, 2024. BitPay's help center (updated September 18, 2026) says it collects shopper information for any payment through BitPay, with no minimum, and its invoice guide (updated October 12, 2026) asks you to log in or create a BitPay account before paying. The dealer text describes the older threshold, so expect BitPay to ask for ID even on a small order.
We earn nothing from these dealers; links go straight to their sites (disclosure). This page summarises published rules. It isn't legal advice and doesn't recommend a dealer or a coin. How we check: methodology. Related: is it cheaper to buy gold with Bitcoin?, buy gold with Ethereum.