Regulated exchanges must verify your identity to comply with anti-money laundering laws.
The longest part of buying Bitcoin often isn't the Bitcoin network itself, but the legacy banking system used to fund the purchase. why does buying bitcoin take so long
: Standard bank transfers in the U.S. typically take 3 to 5 business days to settle. Exchanges like Coinbase may let you "buy" at a locked-in price immediately, but they often hold the funds until the bank transfer is verified to prevent fraud. Regulated exchanges must verify your identity to comply