I Cannot Find Any Currency Exchange Where I Am Legitimate

[Noob_Is_Relative]

I have a problem. As an expat., I am a U.S. citizen with my financial services and my identity in the U.S. but living in the Dom. Rep. with a Dom. Rep. phone number (no U.S. phone number). If I was just on vacation here, no problem. But I'm living here for the rest of my life . . .

I have been trading successfully at gemini.com for some months. I passed the vetting, linked my bank account, and the algorithm accepted my Dom.
Rep. phone number for 2FA. Unwittingly, when I changed phones and my number, I no longer had access to my account. Via Support I submitted to a secure drop a
photo of my face, my passport, and a card with a code they gave me and my new phone number. They responded that I could only use a U.S. number even though
the Gemini website already accepted my Dom. Rep. number. Support refused to change my old number to my new number. I have been locked out of my account
for almost a month and may lose my ACH deposits. Fortunately, my keys are already offloaded to my cold wallet, so I will not lose my cryptocurrency. I'm still going
back and forth with Support . . .

This post is NOT about the above problem per se. My question is:

Do you know of any currency exchange where I can be accepted as a legitimate client and not have to "game the system"? This morning I signed up at
etoro.com and completed the vetting process. Further, the site accepted my Dom. Rep. phone number for 2FA AND I stated that I was a U.S. citizen.
But, while browsing the site, I found a statement to the effect of, Due to regulatory blah, blah, we are unable to serve American citizens who do not resied in the U.S.
Now, would they find out if I traded there? I closed the account. If I am in violation of something, and I game the system and then have a problem, then Support can say "because you are in violation . . . " This is not a way to live. I want to find a site where I can do business honestly and transparently.

gemini.com is a "no go."
coinbase.com is a "no go."
binance.com us a "no go" because I am a U.S. citizen and it does not offer services to U.S. citizens.
binance.us is a "no go" because it requires TWO 2FA's!--one with Google Authenticator and the other with SMS to a U.S. number only. I had already set up Google Authenticator succesfully but when I proceeded to Identity Verification, I failed the second 2FA because I didn't have a U.S. number. So I closed that account.
utoro.com is a "no go" for the reason stated and I closed that account.

I don't see anyway forward without finding ways to cheat the system.

Any recommendations for a site where I can be a legitmate client or, to put it more generally, is there anyway someone in my situation can buy cryptocurrency at all without being dishonest in one way or another??

[PX-Z]

If you keep stating that you're a US citizen and submitting US related info most probably legally you are not allowed to use those platforms while you register outside the country IMO. Unless you have Dom. Rep. ID, number and any Dom. Rep. related info.

Kucoin is something you can use without any KYC as long the amount you withdraw won t exceed 1 BTC within 24 hrs. Just dont tell them that youre from US.

[Bitcoin_Arena]

Since you are living in the Dominican Republic for the rest of your life, Why don't you just apply for their Citizenship or National ID (I believe it wouldn't be so much of a hustle) and then you register on your favorite crypto exchange as a Dom. Republic Citizen along with a Dom. Republic phone number for 2FA?

I don't think there is any other popular exchange which is less strict when it comes to your current situation.

Try FTX.us, Bybit, Phemex, Kraken, Okex too, but I doubt if there will be any success.

[Findingnemo]

If you still don't have Dom citizenship then you will be considered as US citizen no matter where you are living so you should use the US exchange from the other place via US proxy IP so you will have no problem because you got all the KYC documents if I am not wrong or else you need to change your citizenship and start using centralized exchanges which are here for non US people.

As a temporary solution you can use exchange where there is no mandatory KYC but don't link your bank account there, just use it for crypto to crypto trades and deposit money in the form of Bitcoin which you buy easily from p2p exchanges.

[o_e_l_e_o]

Use a DEX, such as Bisq, LocalCryptos, or HodlHodl. It sounds like you are trading in USD rather than Dominican pesos, so you should have no problem finding trading partners offering ACH/bank transfers, or something like Zelle, Cash App, Western Union, or whatever else works for you. You can bypass all this nonsense regarding KYC and rest easy knowing that your exchange can never seize your coins.

[Marvelman]

binance.us is a "no go" because it requires TWO 2FA's!--one with Google Authenticator and the other with SMS to a U.S. number only. I had already set up Google Authenticator succesfully but when I proceeded to Identity Verification, I failed the second 2FA because I didn't have a U.S. number. So I closed that account.

If you are experiencing this issue, have you contacted Binance support? I believe they have alternative verification methods apart from SMS messages.

[5W-KILO]

There are many exchanges that don't care about where you are from and they won't force KYC verification on you but they have daily limits like 1BTC or 2BTC, let's start from Kucoin and BKEX, you need a list? Here you go

1. CoinEX
2. Probit
3. Pancake swap
4. Para swap
5. Gate.io
6. Okex
7. BigOne
8. Huobi
9. Bithumb
10. MXC

[NeuroticFish]

Any recommendations for a site where I can be a legitmate client

The only options you might have are:
1. Get Rep.Dom citizenship
2. Use non-KYC platforms - you can find here a list: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5180421

Another semi-option would be to find an US SMS number you can use (maybe virtual one, maybe somebody helping you out), but that can already be seen as cheating the system (and you don't know for sure if somebody will attempt to use that number to recover/steal your account; also your IP is not from US).

[Despairo]

That's really a bad list, things got complicated on centralized exchanges when someone live on different locations from his identity. Even KuCoin still offer withdrawal without KYC, but you need to read someone ever have a problem since they're US citizen. Most of centralized exchanges also doesn't serve US citizens, even you're not yet have a trouble with centralized exchanges, you can't know the future.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Opacity/comments/pj0f3h/if_you_are_in_the_us_dont_use_kucoin_i_cant/

[aysg76]

The only options you might have are:
1. Get Rep.Dom citizenship

It will take lot of time around 7 years to become the citizen of Dom republic as foreigners with 5 year temporary permit and after two more years they are eligible to apply for citizenship and processing time after it will also be around 60-90 days so that way is not best for him as he can't wait that long.

Another semi-option would be to find an US SMS number you can use (maybe virtual one, maybe somebody helping you out), but that can already be seen as cheating the system (and you don't know for sure if somebody will attempt to use that number to recover/steal your account; also your IP is not from US).

There are some services which will provide him virtual number for SMS verification as many opts for it to bypass the KYC verification process in bitcoin ATM's and other services so yes it could help him.

Use a DEX, such as Bisq, LocalCryptos, or HodlHodl. It sounds like you are trading in USD rather than Dominican pesos, so you should have no problem finding trading partners offering ACH/bank transfers, or something like Zelle, Cash App, Western Union, or whatever else works for you. You can bypass all this nonsense regarding KYC and rest easy knowing that your exchange can never seize your coins.

That is why these exchange services are not useful and have many restrictions that can impose barrier on you like centralised authority.

That's really a bad list, things got complicated on centralized exchanges when someone live on different locations from his identity. Even KuCoin still offer withdrawal without KYC, but you need to read someone ever have a problem since they're US citizen. Most of centralized exchanges also doesn't serve US citizens, even you're not yet have a trouble with centralized exchanges, you can't know the future.

Kucoin is good for people residing outside the US as the daily withdrawal limit is around 1 btc without KYC but as it's not licensed in US so they have restrictions for the citizens as this is the case with most of the exchanges.

[dkbit98]

Any recommendations for a site where I can be a legitmate client or, to put it more generally, is there anyway someone in my situation can buy cryptocurrency at all without being dishonest in one way or another??

I don't know what documents you use in Dominican republic, but I suppose they are issued by their government as ID card, and you can probably use some centralized exchange with this document, if they have mandatory kyc.
For phone number you can get prepaid number purchased from someone else and you can use it only for exchanges and stuff related with crypto.
There are some exchanges that don't have mandatory kyc and you can use them just fine if they allow it, and I am not considering this to be cheating of the system.
What I would do in your place is starting to use decentralized exchanges like Bisq and P2P trading, unless you need babysitter that monitors all your transactions and trades.

[Noob_Is_Relative]

If you keep stating that you're a US citizen and submitting US related info most probably legally you are not allowed to use those platforms while you register outside the country IMO. Unless you have Dom. Rep. ID, number and any Dom. Rep. related info.

Kucoin is something you can use without any KYC as long the amount you withdraw won t exceed 1 BTC within 24 hrs. Just dont tell them that youre from US.

Thank you for the Kucoin lead. What is "KYC"? I never "offer" that I'm a U.S. citizen as gratuitous information. There are menus where it is mandatory that I make a selection and, when that  happens, I tell the truth. If I went into a situation with the MO in miind "Let's see how I can lie . .  . " maybe I'd have more success. I'm not innocent but experience teaches me that when you enter falsehoods into the picture that you may pay a price.

[LeGaulois]

What is "KYC"? I

That's the know your customer. When a company (banks or alike) needs to verify your identity to be able to provide you (financial most of the time) services while following the anti-money laundering policy.. (AML)
We usually abbreviate by saying "KYC"

The know your customer or know your client (KYC) guidelines in financial services require that professionals make an effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. The procedures fit within the broader scope of a bank's anti-money laundering (AML) policy. KYC processes are also employed by companies of all sizes for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant, and are actually who they claim to be. Banks, insurers, export creditors, and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. Initially, these regulations were imposed only on the financial institutions but now the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and even non-profit organizations are liable to oblige.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_your_customer

Good luck in your searches=) But look like you will save your time to look for a DEX directly

[Noob_Is_Relative]

binance.us is a "no go" because it requires TWO 2FA's!--one with Google Authenticator and the other with SMS to a U.S. number only. I had already set up Google Authenticator succesfully but when I proceeded to Identity Verification, I failed the second 2FA because I didn't have a U.S. number. So I closed that account.

If you are experiencing this issue, have you contacted Binance support? I believe they have alternative verification methods apart from SMS messages.

That's what I thought but it turned out to be wrong. The Security section offered two choices for 2FA: SMS and Googe Authenticator. Since I could not use SMS, I chose the second option. I successfully linked binance to GA. But when I proceeded to Idenitity Veriification, GA was NOT a choice and SMS was mandatory. Requiring TWO 2FA's is ridiculous. So, yes, they do have an alternative verification method apart from SMS but that verification method (GA) is not accepted for Identity Verification which is a separate process from Security vetting.

[Bitcoin_Arena]

Thank you for the Kucoin lead. What is "KYC"? I never "offer" that I'm a U.S. citizen as gratuitous information. There are menus where it is mandatory that I make a selection and, when that  happens, I tell the truth. If I went into a situation with the MO in miind "Let's see how I can lie . .  . " maybe I'd have more success. I'm not innocent but experience teaches me that when you enter falsehoods into the picture that you may pay a price.

Yes you are a US Citizen but given the circumstances that you are going to reside in another foreign Country probably for the rest of your life. If your current document expire, what do you do?

Do you go back to the US to renew your documents, or you get other documents from the country you are currently in?

I don't see anything wrong or any falsehood in getting alternative documents because you are now part of that community.

[Marvelman]

I don't see anything wrong or any falsehood in getting alternative documents because you are now part of that community.

Generally speaking, you can't get "alternative" documents just like that. Gaining citizenship in some country versus living there as a permanent resident are two different things. You can get permanent residency by living in that country on a temporary visa, or by getting a job and living in the country for a certain amount of time. The right to apply for permanent residency also depends on the country.