Who Can Invest on 8lends? Investor Requirements and Restrictions
An EU citizen living in Iran can't invest, yet a Base wallet and 100 USDC open the door for almost everyone else. See where the line is drawn.
8lends is available globally, except for residents of 13 sanctioned jurisdictions. To invest, you need to be 18 or older, pass KYC through Sumsub, connect a non-custodial wallet on the Base network, and invest at least 100 USDC. PEPs are only accepted with Enhanced Due Diligence. The platform is for individual investors only — KYB is not available.
Basic requirements to investors
- Age: 18+ (or the age of majority in your country of residence, if higher)
- Residency: Any country except the sanctioned jurisdictions listed below
- Not under sanctions: You must not be subject to sanctions by the UN Security Council, EU, US OFAC, or UK HM Treasury
- KYC: Through Sumsub — just upload a document and take a selfie; it only takes a few minutes
- Crypto wallet: A non-custodial wallet (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, SafePal, or any of 90+ compatible wallets) on the Base network
- USDC and ETH: At least 100 USDC to invest, plus a little ETH for gas fees (~$1–$3)
Sanctioned jurisdictions
Residents of the following countries cannot use 8lends:
- Russia — USA — Belarus — Iran — Iraq — Syria — Lebanon — Cuba — Libya — Yemen — Somalia — Mali — Afghanistan
The restriction is based on residency, not citizenship. For example, an EU citizen who lives permanently in one of these countries cannot use 8lends. The list follows sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the EU, US OFAC, and UK HM Treasury, and may change over time.
Legal entities
At the moment, 8lends only works with individual investors. KYB (Know Your Business) verification for companies is not offered on the platform.
PEPs (Politically Exposed Persons)
A PEP is someone who holds or has held a prominent public position — government officials, heads of state-owned companies, and their close relatives or partners.
8lends does not accept PEPs without special Enhanced Due Diligence. During registration, every investor confirms their PEP status. If you are flagged as a PEP, the case is reviewed individually by the Compliance team.
Maclear investors
If you've already passed KYC on the Maclear platform, you can transfer your verification to 8lends without doing it all over again.
Just fill out a KYC transfer form. Once the team has checked it, your verification is moved across and you can start investing on 8lends straight away.
What to have ready before you signing up
- A valid ID document — passport, ID card, driver's licence, or residence permit for KYC
- A device with a camera — for the liveness check (selfie) during KYC
- A non-custodial crypto wallet (like MetaMask) on the Base network
- At least 100 USDC + about $1–3 in ETH on the Base network — for your investment and gas fees
What 8lends DOESN'T require
- Source of Funds proof at sign-up — this may be requested later for large amounts or if certain triggers are hit
- Proof of address (POA) — standard KYC through Sumsub only needs a document and a selfie
- A minimum deposit — 8lends doesn't use a deposit model; your money goes right into the project via a smart contract
- Regular contributions — every investment is completely under your control
- Exclusive use — you can use both Maclear and 8lends
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm a citizen of a sanctioned country but I live somewhere else. Can I use 8lends?
The restriction is based on residency, not citizenship. If you permanently live in a country that isn't on the sanctions list and you can prove it with documents, you can complete KYC and use 8lends.
What if my KYC fails?
Sumsub shows the reason right in the verification window. Most of the time, it helps to re-upload a clearer copy, check that the document hasn't expired, or make sure you've selected the correct country of issue. If nothing works, contact [email protected].
Can I use 8lends from my phone?
Yes. The platform works in a mobile browser, and KYC via Sumsub can use your phone's camera. Most crypto wallets (MetaMask, Trust Wallet) also have mobile apps.
I'm already a Maclear investor. Do I need to do KYC again?
No. Fill out the KYC transfer form and we'll move your verification over — there's no need to go through Sumsub again.
Can I have multiple wallets on one 8lends account?
Yes. You can change your primary wallet and connect multiple addresses to a single verified identity.
Who decides whether someone is a PEP?
PEP status is a legal definition set by international AML standards and checked during KYC. Sumsub screens public databases of sanctions lists and PEP registries. If a PEP match is found, the case is automatically passed to the 8lends Compliance team for individual review.
Where can I read the full terms of use?
The full text is in our Terms and Conditions. The Eligibility section (Clause 4) explains all the requirements in detail.
See also:
8lends is a platform operated by CLEARCHAIN CORP, registered with FINTRAC (Canada) as a Money Services Business. Maclear AG (Switzerland), a member of PolyReg SRO supervised by FINMA, acts as the Collateral Agent. Regulatory framework as of September 2026.