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BELGIUM KYC, KYB AND AML
Scale Identity Verification and KYC Operations in Belgium
Verify Belgian customers and businesses through itsme, the Belgian eID, NFC, QES, identity documents, biometrics and KYB. Reduce manual review, maintain consistent audit evidence and run one connected workflow designed to support the Belgian AML Law of 18 September 2017 today and AMLR from 10 July 2027.
Operational Performance for Belgium KYC
Our Numbers Speak Volumes
99.42%
First-Pass
Verification Rate
< 10 sec
Median
Verification Time
5+
Belgian ID Methods
Supported
Belgium IDV/KYC Challenges
The Card-Reader Gap
The Belgian eID card holds a high-assurance chip, yet online use of the card needs a reader, so most remote journeys run through itsme. Firms integrated with neither fall back to manual uploads, which are slower and easier to spoof.
Three Languages Break Global Matching
Belgian records switch between Dutch, French and German, so Liège becomes Luik and Antwerpen becomes Anvers. Diacritics and place-name variants trigger false positives, and manual review spikes when screening runs on one language only.
Ownership Is Hard to See Through
Belgian holding structures and cross-border chains slow UBO identification, and the AMLR test, 25% or more of ownership or control, sets who must be traced. UBO Register filings depend on annual confirmations, so records can go stale between updates.
Registry Data Is Not Verification
The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises confirms a company exists, not who controls it or whether they are sanctioned. UBO Register extracts still need sanctions and PEP screening layered on top of registry lookups.
Regulatory Update
What AMLR Changes for Identity Verification in Belgium
The EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 applies directly in Belgium from 10 July 2027, with no transposition period. The AML Law will be amended to sit alongside its rules. AMLA, the EU-level supervisor in Frankfurt, begins direct supervision from 2028.
Timeline
- End of 2026 Member State wallet issuance deadline
- 10 July 2027 AMLR applies, no transposition
- Dec 2027 Wallet acceptance, in-scope parties
- 2028 AMLA direct supervision begins
eIDAS Routes Recognised
Article 22(6) sets out two routes, an identity document supported by reliable and independent sources, or eIDAS eID at level substantial or high with qualified trust services. Both remain valid. itsme and QES sit in the eIDAS route, and firms should document which route they use and why.
The Ownership Test Tightens
AMLR sets beneficial ownership at 25% or more, assessed alongside control. The Commission may lower this to 15% for higher-risk sectors.
Existing Customers Get Re-Checked
AMLR expects existing customer records to be brought up to standard on a risk basis, not just new onboarding. Continuous monitoring keeps back-book files current between reviews.
Accountability Stays With You
Article 18 keeps customer due diligence accountable with the obliged entity even when verification is outsourced, so vendor evidence and clean audit trails matter more under AMLR.
FOR NBB-SUPERVISED BUSINESSES
Streamline NBB-Supervised Onboarding in Belgium
Connect identity verification, QES, Penny Drop and compliance evidence in one workflow for firms in the National Bank of Belgium's remit, under the NBB AML Regulation of 21 November 2017 (Arts 12 to 14), the Law of 18 July 2017 on electronic identification, eIDAS and EBA/GL/2022/15 on remote onboarding.
Verify the Customer
Verify identity using the configured route, such as itsme, NFC document reading or document and biometric checks.
Complete Qualified Signing
Apply and validate the QES within the same journey, keeping the signed document, verification result and supporting evidence together.
Confirm the Payment Account
Use Penny Drop Verification to confirm account ownership, a supporting fraud and account-ownership control alongside the QES journey.
Shufti's IDV/KYC Solutions for Belgium
KYC Solutions
Clear onboarding for Belgian customers aligned with the AML Law of 18 September 2017, with age and address checked in the same flow as identity, each check completing in seconds.
Explore MoreFace Verification
Face verification binds the live person to the document with iBeta Level 3 Conformance to ISO/IEC 30107-3 liveness, stopping spoofs, masks and deepfakes.
.Age Verification
Selfie-based age estimation combined with document verification where required for regulated sectors such as gambling, supervised by the Belgian Gaming Commission.
.Bank Account Verification
Confirms a Belgian bank account (BE IBAN) belongs to the customer, returning the registered account holder name for matching against the verified identity.
.Address Verification
Shufti verifies Belgian address-bearing documents, including utility invoices, telecom bills and bank statements from major Belgian issuers. Proof-of-address checks remain common in regulated onboarding.
.Document Verification
Verification of the Belgian eID card, residence documents and Belgian ePassports, including NFC chip reading and OCR extraction in Dutch, French and German. Remains a permitted route for remote verification under AMLR.
.Identity Verification
Shufti confirms every customer is real and present, not a spoofed or synthetic identity. Biometric face matching and liveness detection run against 10,000+ active ID document types.
.KYB Solutions
Shufti checks firms as deeply as the people behind them, backing your risk-based AML Law approach. Shufti checks registry records, beneficial ownership and VAT details in real time, then screens UBOs against 3,500+ global watchlists for sanctions and adverse media exposure.
Explore MoreBusiness Verification
Automated validation of Crossroads Bank for Enterprises data, the 10-digit enterprise number, VAT numbers in the BE format, NACE codes and directors. Reduces manual registry lookups and onboarding delays.
.Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)
Structured risk profiling for complex ownership chains, cross-border entities and high-risk sectors, supporting Belgium's risk-based AML obligations under the AML Law.
.AML Screening
Shufti screens customers and transactions in 240+ countries and territories, flagging sanctions, PEP and adverse media matches as they happen. Ongoing monitoring surfaces suspicious activity in time to meet local reporting obligations.
Explore More
AI Compliance Copilot
Helps compliance teams review verification and AML data, investigate alerts, and understand the reasoning behind risk signals. It brings relevant case information together to support faster, more consistent compliance decisions.
.
Transaction Monitoring
Ongoing transaction monitoring calibrated to Belgian financial flows flags anomalies against AML rules, supporting the risk-based controls expected by the NBB, the FSMA and CTIF-CFI.
.Supported Verification Methods for Belgium
Every Verification Route Belgium Uses, in One Platform
Shufti supports the full range of remote verification routes used in Belgium, from the EUDI Wallet and itsme to document and biometric checks. Each method below shows what is live today and what is ready for the 2027 rollout.
Listed from newest to most established.
EUDI Wallet
Wallet-ready · from 2027AMLR Article 22(6) expressly recognises eIDAS eID means, including the EUDI Wallet. Belgium is developing its wallet under the eIDAS 2.0 rollout, building on MyGov.be and its national eID infrastructure. Shufti is built to accept wallet-based verification as the Belgian wallet goes live.
Notified eID
LiveeIDAS HighBelgium's notified schemes, FAS/eCards (eID card) and FAS/itsme, are both eIDAS level high (OJ-listed 2018 and 2019), via the Federal Authentication Service. itsme, the bank and telecom backed identity app, is the route most Belgians use every day. Shufti supports itsme for verification today.
Docless Database eIDV
LiveDatabase-driven checks against permitted reference sources confirm identity in seconds for low-risk onboarding, with no document upload. Shufti escalates to stronger checks as risk rises.
NFC Chip Verification
LiveShufti reads the secure chip in the current-generation Belgian eID card, biometric residence cards and the Belgian ePassport. This is the high-assurance capture route where no card reader or eID app is in play.
Document and Face Biometric
LivePermitted under AMLR Article 22(6)(a). Document authentication of the Belgian eID card, residence documents and ePassport, with iBeta Level 3 Conformance to ISO/IEC 30107-3 liveness to confirm a real, present person.
Qualified Electronic Signature
LiveThe Belgian AML Law recognises electronic identification means for remote identity verification under Article 27. Shufti runs eIDAS-qualified signing powered by Evrotrust, an EU qualified trust service provider, producing PAdES-LTV signatures. For Belgium the signing identity check runs through NFC and face biometrics.
Independent Validation
Shufti's Recognition Across Independent Evaluations

Ranked Exceptional in the Liminal Index 2026 for age estimation
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Differentiated by Gartner on document diversity and country coverage
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Certified at iBeta Level 3 PAD with 0% APCER
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Broadest global reach in the 2025 KuppingerCole Extended IDV report
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Ranked Top 5 in the DHS RIVR 2025 for identity validation
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Ranked Exceptional for age verification by Liminal Index 2026
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Recognised as a Leader across four G2 Summer 2026 reports
View ReportEvidence-Ready Checks Across People & Businesses
Verifications with robust evidentiary support
Individual Documents We Verify
Shufti verifies 15+ Belgian document types.
View All Supported DocumentsBelgian Electronic Identity Card (eID)
Chip-based national ID and the anchor document for Belgian onboarding. The current card carries a contact chip for online use and a contactless chip with biometric data and an MRZ, supporting remote verification and digital authentication.
Belgian Passport
Electronic travel document with an NFC chip, fingerprints and biometric data. Biometric and ICAO-compliant, it supports chip-based checks and is widely accepted for KYC.
Belgian Driving Licence
EU-format licence with hologram, microprint and UV security features. Accepted as a supporting document for address verification and KYC onboarding.
Residence Document
Identity document for foreign nationals in Belgium. Current residence cards are biometric and chip-based, accepted for KYC and KYB verification and useful for address checks.
Birth Certificate
Civil-status evidence, not an identity document. Used, where proportionate, with other documents in KYB governance and UBO verification evidence packs.
Entity Identity
CBE Registration Certificate (Extract from Crossroads Bank for Enterprises)
Public registry extract with the enterprise number, company name, registered office, legal form, NACE codes and VAT status. Confirms legal existence for KYB.
Articles of Association (Acte Constitutif / Oprichtingsakte)
Founding document that evidences legal structure, purpose and management authority. Used for KYB governance verification and ownership analysis.
Corporate Governance Document
Board resolutions, appointment notices and director registers confirming management structure and authority. Used for KYB governance and UBO verification.
Tax Identity
VAT Registration Certificate (BE + 10-digit enterprise number)
Tax certificate confirming registration and VAT status in the BE 0123.456.789 format, verifiable via EU VIES. The VAT number mirrors the enterprise number.
Enterprise Number Certificate (Crossroads Bank for Enterprises)
Official CBE certificate confirming registration, the enterprise number, active status and NACE classification. A core reference for KYB verification.
Ownership & Control (UBO)
UBO Register Declaration (Ultimate Beneficial Owner register)
Declaration from Belgium's UBO Register, run by FPS Finance and filed via MyMinfin. Shufti checks control data against it, with the AMLR test at 25% or more, or control.
Shareholder Register
Register of share ownership, voting rights and holder identities. Shufti uses it to map shareholdings, cross-reference CBE records and identify the people behind a Belgian company.
Languages We Cover
Trilingual Document Coverage
Belgium's three official languages, Dutch, French and German, appear on documents by region. Shufti parses all three without manual intervention, so checks stay accurate against official sources.
Name Matching Controls For Belgian Names
Belgian names carry diacritics and multilingual place variants such as Liège and Luik. Matching controls resolve them correctly and reduce false negatives in PEP and sanctions screening.
Evidence Consistency Across Regions
Bilingual documentation from Brussels and the German-speaking east is reconciled automatically. Address verification handles regional variations and language standardisation.
Governance & Controls
Audit-Ready Decisions, Lower Operational Drag
Fewer Avoidable Re-submissions
Optimised capture for Belgian ID formats and the chip-based eID card cuts avoidable re-submissions and manual review.
Cleaner Audit Trails
Structured logs aligned to the AML Law's ten-year retention and CTIF-CFI reporting keep decisions organised and retrievable for internal audit and supervisory review.
Better Name Matching Outcomes
Matching handles diacritics and Dutch, French and German name variants common in Belgium, reducing false positives and manual review.
One Workflow, One Back Office
KYC, KYB and AML screening are consolidated in one operational case view across CBE records, UBO Register data and screening outcomes.
National ID-First Flow Design
eID and itsme-first onboarding reflects Belgium's national identity ecosystem and the way customers actually verify.
Continuous Compliance
Compliance that does not stop at onboarding
AMLR treats customer due diligence as a continuing obligation. Perpetual monitoring keeps the customer picture current between reviews, so risk is caught when it appears, not at the next annual check.
Surface Changes as it happens
DetectPerpetual monitoring flags risk when it appears, not at the next annual review. Behavioural biometrics, background fraud signals, and ongoing sanctions and PEP screening watch every active relationship.
Step up when the signal fires
VerifyWhen a signal fires, re-verification confirms the person or the ownership change using the same live methods above, so a flag turns into a resolved decision.
Keep the file audit-ready
ComplyEvery check and decision is logged to the AML Law's record-keeping standards, so the file is organised and retrievable for internal audit and supervisory review.
Perpetual KYC
pKYCKeeps individual customer risk current with behavioural biometrics, background fraud signals and ongoing AML screening, so back-book records stay standard-ready.
Perpetual KYB
pKYBMonitors the UBO Register and Crossroads Bank for Enterprises records for shareholding and control changes, so a shift past 25% or a change of control is caught between reviews.
Built To Fit Belgium's Compliance Landscape
Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA)
Supervises conduct of business and AML/CFT controls for financial intermediaries and other firms within its remit, including crypto-asset service providers under MiCA. Shufti supports CDD evidence, screening records and review-ready decision logs.
National Bank of Belgium (NBB)
Supervises banks, payment institutions, e-money issuers and insurers for AML/CFT compliance and conducts examinations. Shufti keeps onboarding, risk events and monitoring evidence aligned for NBB review.
Financial Intelligence Processing Unit (CTIF-CFI)
Belgium's FIU receives suspicious transaction reports (Art 47) via goAML. Paper filings ended 30 September 2024. Cases go to the judicial authorities. Shufti organises identity evidence, screening hits and timestamps for escalation.
Federal Public Service Finance (FPS Finance)
Administers Belgian tax policy, national financial sanctions and the UBO Register, and coordinates with CTIF-CFI. Shufti helps capture UBO data, organise register evidence and link tax identifiers in KYB.
FPS Economy (CBE Authority)
Maintains the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises registry and issues enterprise numbers. Shufti verifies legal existence, status, directors and filed data in one KYB flow.
AMLA (EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority)
The new EU-level supervisor has been established in Frankfurt since July 2025. Begins direct supervision of selected high-risk cross-border entities from 2028 and shapes technical standards under AMLR.
Deployment Option
Cloud in EU and Belgian regions such as Google Cloud's Belgium region in St. Ghislain and Microsoft's Azure Belgium Central region in Brussels, or on-premise, keeps Belgian customer data in-region and supports GDPR accountability.
Regulatory Alignment
Aligned with the AML Law's due diligence obligations, UBO verification and recordkeeping duties, as well as GDPR, the Belgian Data Protection Act of 30 July 2018 and AMLR requirements applying from July 2027.
Retention Controls
Article 60 of the AML Law keeps identification data ten years from the end of the relationship or occasional transaction, and transaction records ten years from execution. Configurable retention and purge settings support the schedule your legal team sets.
Encryption & Security
Encryption in transit and at rest, with access controls and audit logging, supports Article 32 GDPR, under our ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 Type II attestation.
Biometric Processing
The lawful basis for processing is set by the controller. Biometric data used for unique identification engages Article 9 GDPR, and human review is available in the workflow.
AI Act Position
EU AI Act transparency obligations under Article 50 apply from 2 August 2026. High-risk obligations for Annex III systems follow from 2 December 2027.
Scope of Our Role
Shufti acts as a data processor and provides verification technology, not legal or regulatory advice. Responsibility for customer due diligence and for the choice of verification method remains with the obliged entity, documented in its own risk assessment.
Data and Privacy Controls in Belgium
Belgium AML Sources That Strengthen Decisions
We screen against 215+ sanction regimes, 3,500+ watchlists, 100,000+ adverse-media sources, and 6M+ PEPs across Belgium and globally. A few of them are:
Financial Intelligence Processing Unit - CTIF-CFI
National Bank of Belgium - NBB
Financial Services and Markets Authority - FSMA
Federal Public Service Economy
General Administration of the Treasury - FPS Finance
Belgian Gaming Commission
Institute for Tax Advisors and Accountants - ITAA
National Chamber of Notaries
Orde van Vlaamse Balies - OVB
Ordre des barreaux francophones et germanophone - AVOCATS.BE/OBFG
Financial Action Task Force - FATF
Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units
EU Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism - AMLA
European Commission - DG FISMA Financial Crime
Europol - European Financial and Economic Crime Centre
SEE SHUFTI IN YOUR BELGIUM WORKFLOW
Turn Belgian Verification Requirements into a Smoother Customer Journey
Share your customer types, risk rules and current onboarding process. A Shufti specialist will show you how to connect identity verification, KYB, QES, Penny Drop and ongoing monitoring, reducing operational hand-offs while keeping decision evidence organised for compliance review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which identity documents can be used for onboarding in Belgium?
Customers can use the Belgian eID card, Belgian passport, residence documents and the Belgian driving licence as a supporting document, alongside itsme for eID-based verification. Shufti supports document, eID, NFC and biometric verification within one configurable workflow.
How does Shufti support NBB-supervised businesses in Belgium?
Shufti connects identity verification, KYB, AML screening, QES, account verification and decision evidence in one configurable workflow. This helps businesses within the National Bank of Belgium's supervisory remit reduce manual hand-offs, standardise compliance records and prepare clearer evidence for internal audit and applicable supervisory review.
What documents are required for KYB in Belgium?
Typically a Crossroads Bank for Enterprises extract, the enterprise number, VAT registration in the BE format, shareholder evidence and beneficial ownership details from the UBO Register. Shufti verifies these in real time and screens the UBOs behind them against sanctions and PEP lists.
How are Belgian name variants handled in screening?
Matching accounts for diacritics and for Dutch, French and German variants of the same name or place, so records showing Liège and Luik resolve correctly and false positives on Belgian names stay low.
How long must AML records be retained in Belgium?
Under AML Law Article 60, identification data runs ten years from relationship end or occasional transaction, transaction records ten years from execution. Article 61 allows references instead of copies. AMLR Article 77 applies from 10 July 2027.
Is EU-region data hosting available for Belgian data?
Yes. Shufti offers EU-based cloud regions, including Google Cloud's Belgium region in St. Ghislain and Azure Belgium Central in Brussels, so Belgian customer data stays in-region in line with GDPR and the Belgian Data Protection Act. On-premise deployment is available where residency requirements are stricter.
What changes for Belgium under AMLR from July 2027?
AMLR applies directly, so no Belgian transposition law is needed. Article 22(6) permits two verification routes, document-based and eIDAS-based, covering itsme, the EUDI Wallet and QES alongside document and biometric checks, and sets beneficial ownership at 25% or more, assessed alongside control.
How do QES and account verification work together under Belgian law?
The Belgian AML Law recognises electronic identification means for remote identity verification under Article 27. Where a workflow calls for account evidence, Shufti connects QES, Penny Drop Verification and supporting records in one journey as a fraud and account-ownership control.
When will the EUDI Wallet be usable for onboarding in Belgium?
Under eIDAS 2.0, Member States must issue wallets by the end of 2026, and from December 2027 Article 5f requires in-scope relying parties to accept them. Belgium is developing its wallet on the foundation of MyGov.be and its national eID infrastructure. Shufti is built to accept wallet-based verification as the Belgian wallet goes live, so onboarding flows will not need to be rebuilt.
Can we keep using itsme for onboarding after July 2027?
Yes. itsme is a notified eID scheme at eIDAS level high, expressly recognised under AMLR Article 22(6)(b). Document and biometric verification is expressly permitted under Article 22(6)(a). Shufti supports both, so firms can shift the mix over time without changing platforms.
Let’s Build Trust Into Your Business
1B+Verifications Processed
240+Regions Actively Processed
99.7%Accuracy Rate
Samer Al Tamimi
CEO of Safwa Bank
“We take our client’s privacy very seriously and always look for new innovative solutions to ensure a safe banking experience. Working with Shufti feels like a breath of fresh air, as their 100% in-house tech keeps our customer’s data free from vulnerabilities and fully safe and protected.”
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PROVEN PLAYBOOKS
Explore Practical KYC & AML Resources
16 August, 2025
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Guide — Identity Verification in Europe: eIDAS 2.0 & EUDI Wallet
A practitioner's guide to verifying identity in Europe, covering eIDAS 2.0, the EUDI Wallet, docless eIDV and how to choose an eID provider for onboarding in the EU.
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