Is there an identity verification provider that supports both KYC and KYB?

Businesses don't just need to know who their customers are anymore. They also need to know which businesses they're onboarding, who owns them and whether those organizations present financial crime risks.

That's why many organizations are looking for providers that support both Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) from a single platform.

While many identity verification vendors now offer both capabilities, they don't all approach them in the same way. Some focus primarily on consumer identity verification and have added basic KYB tools, while others provide more comprehensive business verification, ownership discovery and ongoing monitoring.

This guide looks at three providers – GBG, IDenfy and NorthRow. Let’s get started…

Why choose one provider for both KYC and KYB?

As your business grows, you're often verifying more than just individual customers. You may also need to verify merchants, suppliers, partners or corporate customers – and understand who ultimately owns and controls those businesses.

Instead of managing separate vendors, integrations and compliance workflows, your teams can work with one provider that supports both types of verification.

That doesn't mean every provider offers the same depth of KYC and KYB capabilities, though. 

That’s where the next section can help:

What should you look for in a provider that offers both KYC and KYB?

When comparing providers, here are a few areas to focus on.

1. Coverage in your target markets

If you onboard customers or businesses internationally, make sure the provider supports the countries where you operate. 

However, look beyond just coverage. Ask about access to local business registries, identity data, and document support in your highest-volume markets – this is where the real value often lies.

2. Strong business verification capabilities

Look for capabilities such as:

• Company registration verification
• UBO discovery and ownership mapping
• Director and shareholder verification
• AML, sanctions and adverse media screening
• Ongoing business monitoring and alerts

3. Comprehensive KYC tools

On the KYC side, consider how the provider verifies individuals. Many platforms combine document verification, biometric matching, liveness detection, AML screening and sanctions checks, but the quality of these capabilities can differ. 

Ask how they perform with the documents and customer profiles that matter most to your business.

4. Flexible onboarding workflows

Your onboarding process shouldn't look the same for every customer. The best providers let you tailor verification journeys based on factors like customer type, geography, or risk level. 

Some questions to ask:

• Can we customize workflows without developer support?
• Can different products or countries have different verification journeys?
• What happens if a customer fails one verification step?
• Can additional checks be triggered automatically based on risk?

Now, let’s look at some concrete identity verification providers that offer both KYC and KYB solutions.

Comparison of Identity Verification Platforms*

GBG: End-to-end KYC and KYB for growing businesses

We’ll introduce ourselves first: GBG helps businesses verify both individuals and companies throughout the customer lifecycle. Rather than focusing on a single part of the onboarding process, GBG’s solutions cover identity verification, business verification, fraud prevention, and AML compliance.

For individual customers, GBG Go combines multiple verification methods, including identity data, document verification, biometrics, and liveness detection. Businesses can choose the verification journey that best fits their risk appetite, customer type or geography, rather than sending every customer through the same process.

For business onboarding, GBG Detected automates many of the checks that compliance teams would otherwise perform manually. This includes verifying companies, identifying directors and ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs), screening businesses against sanctions and watchlists, and monitoring organizations for changes over time.

Together, these capabilities allow businesses to work with a single provider for both KYC and KYB while using separate solutions tailored to each use case.

Key strengths:

• Global identity verification in 195 countries, with over 8,500 document types 
• Access to over 600 million business records worldwide
• Built-in checks: PEPs, sanctions, document verification, biometrics, AML
• “GBG Detected” KYB tool automates UBO mapping and director verification, with access to over 200 Beneficial ownership registries 
• 80+ no-code modules for risk, fraud, and identity checks in its all-in-one identity orchestration platform, GBG Go
  
  

Best for: Enterprises in finance, payments, gaming, and other regulated industries

To learn more about GBG, get in touch or read our articles on building an end-to-end KYC process and KYB onboarding.

IDenfy: Fast, AI-Powered Compliance

IDenfy combines automation with affordability, making it a good fit for fast-growing businesses. It delivers full-stack identity verification with a strong focus on speed and user experience.

Key strengths:

• Document verification in under 3 minutes
• Connects to 180+ company registries in over 120 countries
• Pay-per-success pricing model
• Includes OCR, 3D liveness, and hybrid AI/human verification
• Built-in AML, fraud screening, and compliance monitoring
  
  

Best for: Startups and mid-sized businesses needing global reach and fast verification

NorthRow: Compliance-Focused KYB with KYC Support

NorthRow is known for its strength in KYB and is widely used in compliance-heavy sectors. It supports individual KYC but is especially strong in verifying business entities.

Key strengths:

• KYB coverage in 220+ jurisdictions and 13,000+ document types
• Real-time checks for directors, UBOs, and AML screening
• API and Salesforce integration for seamless onboarding
• Full audit trail and regulatory reporting support
  
  

Best for: Businesses in sectors like financial services, property, and legal compliance

Final thoughts

GBG, IDenfy and NorthRow all offer both KYC and KYB capabilities, but each takes a different approach. Some prioritize workflow flexibility, while others focus on business verification, automation or enterprise-scale compliance.

The best way to compare providers is to evaluate them using your own customers, business entities and risk scenarios. Testing approval rates, business verification coverage, manual review rates and overall onboarding efficiency will give you a much clearer picture.

FAQs about KYC + KYB providers

What’s the difference between KYC and KYB?

• KYC verifies the identity of individuals (e.g., customers, users).
• KYB verifies businesses and their ownership structure (e.g., UBOs, directors).

Which industries require both KYC and KYB?

• Fintech and neobanks
• Crypto exchanges
• Payment service providers
• Marketplaces (B2B and B2C)
• Gambling, insurance, and property sectors

Are these providers compliant with GDPR and FCA rules?

Most leading solutions are built to meet GDPR, FCA, and global AML requirements. Check individual vendor documentation for specific certifications.

Why does KYB tend to cost more than KYC?

KYB involves checking multiple registries, validating UBOs, and monitoring corporate structures — all of which are more complex and time-consuming than individual verification.

*Disclaimer: Information relating to third-party products and companies referenced in this article is based on publicly available sources and official publications at the time of writing. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, product features, positioning and company information may change and GBG does not guarantee that all information remains current or complete.

Nothing in this article constitutes an endorsement, recommendation or ranking of any third-party provider. Readers should consult each provider’s official website and conduct their own assessment before making any purchasing decisions.

To request an update or correction, please contact communications@gbg.com

Sources:

• https://identification.com/identity
• https://www.northrow.com/know-your-business-kyb
• https://www.biometricupdate.com/202206/persona-launches-biometric-kyb-kyc-automation-platform
• https://withpersona.com/solutions/know-your-business