> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.services.payward.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create user

> Create a new account-owned user in the Payward system.

Check the user's verification requirements with `GET /v1/users/{user_id}/verifications/requirements`. When verification is required, call `POST /v1/users/{user_id}/verifications/hosted` to obtain the available hosted verification methods.

When retrying user creation, send the same `external_reference` for the same partner user. Payward uses this value to avoid creating duplicate users. Retry responses are generated from the latest available user state, not replayed from the original request.

Returns the created `id` and the `accounts` associated with the user.



## OpenAPI

````yaml https://dsct1ci24fgcu.cloudfront.net/prod/merged/openapi.json post /v1/users
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: PWS Public API
  version: '1'
  description: >-
    Integrate with Payward Services to onboard users, manage accounts and funds,
    trade assets, and receive event notifications.
  contact:
    name: Payward Services
servers:
  - url: https://api.services.payward.com
security: []
tags:
  - name: Assets
    description: List the assets PWS is willing to swap.
    x-displayName: Assets
  - name: Conversions
    description: >-
      Rule-driven and on-demand fiat ↔ crypto value movement, including
      conversion rules and deposits.
    x-displayName: Conversions
  - name: Earn
    description: >-
      Manage Auto Earn preferences and retrieve allocation and reward
      information.
    x-displayName: Earn
  - name: Funding
    description: >-
      Discover deposit and withdrawal options, manage deposit addresses, and
      move funds between accounts.
    x-displayName: Funding
  - name: Derivative transfers
    description: >-
      Move funds between an account's spot balance and the same owner's futures
      balance.
    x-displayName: Derivative transfers
  - name: Portfolio
    description: 'Inspect a customer''s portfolio: balances, valuations, and transactions.'
    x-displayName: Portfolio
  - name: Ramp
    description: >-
      Support Ramp flows with discovery, quotes, limits, and hosted checkout
      experiences.
    x-displayName: Ramp
  - name: Reports
    description: Settlement and reconciliation reports for the partner.
    x-displayName: Reports
  - name: Swaps
    description: Account-funded quotes that lock a price until they expire or are executed.
    x-displayName: Swaps
  - name: Onchain quotes
    description: Wallet-funded quotes that return the data needed to settle onchain.
    x-displayName: Onchain quotes
  - name: Price trigger swaps
    description: Swaps that wait for a target price before submitting a trade.
    x-displayName: Price trigger swaps
  - name: Travel Rule verifications
    description: Travel Rule address ownership verification flows.
    x-displayName: Travel Rule verifications
  - name: Users
    description: >-
      User onboarding and status flows that the partner manages.


      - **Create User** provisions an account-owned user from an external
      reference and optional email.

      - **Get User** retrieves the user's profile, verification status, and
      required actions.


      Use the returned user `id` for calls that require the user's identifier.
    x-displayName: Users
  - name: Verifications
    description: Identity verification (KYC) submission and status for end users.
    x-displayName: Verifications
  - name: Webhooks
    description: >-
      Register HTTPS destinations to receive event deliveries, rotate signing
      secrets, and inspect, update, or delete existing subscriptions. Each
      subscription is owned by the authenticated partner; deliveries are signed
      with HMAC-SHA256 and retried on transient failures.
    x-displayName: Webhooks
paths:
  /v1/users:
    post:
      tags:
        - Users
      summary: Create user
      description: >-
        Create a new account-owned user in the Payward system.


        Check the user's verification requirements with `GET
        /v1/users/{user_id}/verifications/requirements`. When verification is
        required, call `POST /v1/users/{user_id}/verifications/hosted` to obtain
        the available hosted verification methods.


        When retrying user creation, send the same `external_reference` for the
        same partner user. Payward uses this value to avoid creating duplicate
        users. Retry responses are generated from the latest available user
        state, not replayed from the original request.


        Returns the created `id` and the `accounts` associated with the user.
      operationId: createUser
      requestBody:
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              description: Request to create a new user.
              type: object
              additionalProperties: false
              properties:
                email:
                  description: >-
                    The email associated with the user, when available at create
                    time.
                  type: string
                  maxLength: 254
                  format: email
                external_reference:
                  description: >-
                    Stable partner-supplied reference for this user. Must be
                    unique within your partner account. Reuse the same value
                    only for the same user, including create retries.
                  type: string
                  minLength: 1
                  maxLength: 256
              required:
                - external_reference
            examples:
              create-bare-user:
                summary: Create a bare user
                value:
                  external_reference: partner-customer-9001
              create-user-with-email:
                summary: Create a user with an email
                value:
                  email: alex.morgan@example.com
                  external_reference: partner-customer-9001
        required: true
      responses:
        '201':
          description: Created
          headers:
            X-Trace-Id:
              $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
            Strict-Transport-Security:
              $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
            Cache-Control:
              $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  data:
                    description: Created user payload.
                    title: CreateUserData
                    type: object
                    properties:
                      id:
                        description: >-
                          User ID of the newly created user, also used as its
                          canonical identifier.
                        type: string
                        minLength: 14
                        maxLength: 42
                      accounts:
                        description: Accounts associated with the created user.
                        type: array
                        items:
                          description: Account associated with a user.
                          title: UserAccount
                          type: object
                          properties:
                            id:
                              description: Public account identifier.
                              type: string
                              minLength: 1
                              maxLength: 42
                            name:
                              description: Account display name.
                              type: string
                              minLength: 1
                              maxLength: 256
                            description:
                              description: >-
                                Longer description of what the account is for.
                                Absent when the account has none.
                              type: string
                              minLength: 1
                              maxLength: 128
                          required:
                            - id
                            - name
                    required:
                      - id
                required:
                  - data
              examples:
                created-user:
                  summary: Created user and accounts
                  value:
                    data:
                      id: AA45N8G4MLDYWAR7
                      accounts:
                        - id: WX6VJUKWKKPBQE36
                          name: main
                        - id: WC9RDEFHPSGLXRVX
                          name: secondary
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersBadRequestResponse'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersUnauthenticatedResponse'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersForbiddenResponse'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersResourceExhaustedResponse'
        '500':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersInternalResponse'
        '503':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersUnavailableResponse'
        '504':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersDeadlineExceededResponse'
      security:
        - ApiKey: []
          ApiSign: []
          ApiNonce: []
      x-codeSamples:
        - lang: bash
          label: curl
          source: |-
            curl -X POST "https://api.services.payward.com/v1/users" \
              -H "API-Key: $PWS_API_KEY" \
              -H "API-Nonce: $PWS_API_NONCE" \
              -H "API-Sign: $PWS_API_SIGN" \
              -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
              -d '{
                "email": "alex.morgan@example.com",
                "external_reference": "partner-customer-9001"
              }'
components:
  headers:
    TraceId:
      description: Trace identifier for the request. Include it when contacting support.
      schema:
        type: string
        example: 4bf92f3577b34da6a3ce929d0e0e4736
    StrictTransportSecurity:
      description: Enforces HTTPS for the duration specified by `max-age`.
      schema:
        type: string
        example: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload
    CacheControl:
      description: Prevents caching of sensitive financial data. Always `no-store`.
      schema:
        type: string
        enum:
          - no-store
        example: no-store
  responses:
    UsersBadRequestResponse:
      description: Validation error
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/BadRequestError'
          examples:
            invalid-request:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-bad-request'
    UsersUnauthenticatedResponse:
      description: Authentication failed
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/UnauthenticatedError'
          examples:
            authentication-failed:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-unauthenticated'
    UsersForbiddenResponse:
      description: Permission denied
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ForbiddenError'
          examples:
            caller-is-not-allowed:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-forbidden'
    UsersResourceExhaustedResponse:
      description: Rate limit exceeded
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ResourceExhaustedError'
          examples:
            rate-limit-exceeded:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-resource-exhausted'
    UsersInternalResponse:
      description: Internal server error
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/InternalError'
          examples:
            internal-error:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-internal'
    UsersUnavailableResponse:
      description: Service unavailable
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/UnavailableError'
          examples:
            service-unavailable:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-service-unavailable'
    UsersDeadlineExceededResponse:
      description: Deadline exceeded
      headers:
        X-Trace-Id:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/TraceId'
        Strict-Transport-Security:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/StrictTransportSecurity'
        Cache-Control:
          $ref: '#/components/headers/CacheControl'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/DeadlineExceededError'
          examples:
            request-deadline-exceeded:
              $ref: '#/components/examples/users-deadline-exceeded'
  schemas:
    BadRequestError:
      title: Bad Request
      description: Request validation failed or the request could not be processed.
      oneOf:
        - title: Bad Request
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsValidationErrorEnvelope'
            - type: object
              required:
                - error
              properties:
                error:
                  allOf:
                    - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsValidationError'
                    - type: object
                      required:
                        - status
                        - code
                      properties:
                        status:
                          type: integer
                          format: int32
                          const: 400
                        code:
                          type: string
                          enum:
                            - bad_request
        - title: Gateway
          description: >-
            Gateway-level validation failure returned before the request reaches
            the service.
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsValidationErrorEnvelope'
            - type: object
              required:
                - error
              properties:
                error:
                  allOf:
                    - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsValidationError'
                    - type: object
                      required:
                        - status
                        - code
                      properties:
                        type:
                          type: string
                          const: service_error
                        status:
                          type: integer
                          format: int32
                          const: 400
                        code:
                          type: string
                          const: gateway
    UnauthenticatedError:
      title: Unauthenticated
      description: Authentication credentials are missing, invalid, or not accepted.
      oneOf:
        - title: Unauthenticated
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
            - type: object
              required:
                - error
              properties:
                error:
                  allOf:
                    - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                    - type: object
                      required:
                        - status
                        - code
                      properties:
                        status:
                          type: integer
                          format: int32
                          const: 401
                        code:
                          type: string
                          enum:
                            - unauthenticated
        - title: Gateway
          description: Authentication failure returned by the API gateway.
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
            - type: object
              required:
                - error
              properties:
                error:
                  allOf:
                    - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                    - type: object
                      required:
                        - status
                        - code
                      properties:
                        type:
                          type: string
                          const: service_error
                        status:
                          type: integer
                          format: int32
                          const: 401
                        code:
                          type: string
                          const: gateway
    ForbiddenError:
      title: Forbidden
      description: The caller is not allowed to perform this operation.
      oneOf:
        - title: Forbidden
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
            - type: object
              required:
                - error
              properties:
                error:
                  allOf:
                    - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                    - type: object
                      required:
                        - status
                        - code
                      properties:
                        status:
                          type: integer
                          format: int32
                          const: 403
                        code:
                          type: string
                          enum:
                            - forbidden
        - title: Gateway
          description: Authorization failure returned by the API gateway.
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
            - type: object
              required:
                - error
              properties:
                error:
                  allOf:
                    - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                    - type: object
                      required:
                        - status
                        - code
                      properties:
                        type:
                          type: string
                          const: service_error
                        status:
                          type: integer
                          format: int32
                          const: 403
                        code:
                          type: string
                          const: gateway
    ResourceExhaustedError:
      description: The request was rate limited or a resource quota was exhausted.
      allOf:
        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
        - type: object
          required:
            - error
          properties:
            error:
              allOf:
                - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                - type: object
                  required:
                    - status
                    - code
                  properties:
                    status:
                      type: integer
                      format: int32
                      const: 429
                    code:
                      type: string
                      enum:
                        - resource_exhausted
    InternalError:
      description: An unexpected server-side error occurred.
      allOf:
        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
        - type: object
          required:
            - error
          properties:
            error:
              allOf:
                - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                - type: object
                  required:
                    - status
                    - code
                  properties:
                    status:
                      type: integer
                      format: int32
                      const: 500
                    code:
                      type: string
                      enum:
                        - internal
    UnavailableError:
      description: The service is temporarily unavailable.
      allOf:
        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
        - type: object
          required:
            - error
          properties:
            error:
              allOf:
                - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                - type: object
                  required:
                    - status
                    - code
                  properties:
                    status:
                      type: integer
                      format: int32
                      const: 503
                    code:
                      type: string
                      enum:
                        - unavailable
    DeadlineExceededError:
      description: The request deadline was exceeded before a response could be produced.
      allOf:
        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope'
        - type: object
          required:
            - error
          properties:
            error:
              allOf:
                - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
                - type: object
                  required:
                    - status
                    - code
                  properties:
                    status:
                      type: integer
                      format: int32
                      const: 504
                    code:
                      type: string
                      enum:
                        - deadline_exceeded
    PwsValidationErrorEnvelope:
      description: Error envelope for request validation failures.
      type: object
      required:
        - error
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsValidationError'
          description: Validation error details.
    PwsValidationError:
      description: Standard PWS API error object for request validation failures.
      type: object
      required:
        - type
        - status
        - instance
        - code
      properties:
        type:
          description: Machine-readable error class.
          type: string
        status:
          description: HTTP status code returned for this error.
          type: integer
          format: int32
        instance:
          description: Request identifier for this specific error occurrence.
          type: string
        code:
          description: Stable machine-readable error code.
          type: string
        doc_url:
          description: Optional link to documentation for this error.
          type: string
          format: uri
        causes:
          description: Validation failures that contributed to the error.
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsErrorCause'
    PwsGeneralErrorEnvelope:
      description: Error envelope for operational or domain failures.
      type: object
      required:
        - error
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsGeneralError'
          description: General error details.
    PwsGeneralError:
      description: Standard PWS API error object for non-validation failures.
      allOf:
        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/PwsErrorBase'
        - type: object
          properties:
            causes:
              description: Additional error details, when present.
              type: array
              items:
                type: object
                additionalProperties: true
    PwsErrorCause:
      description: A single request validation failure.
      type: object
      required:
        - field
        - message
      properties:
        field:
          description: Dot-notation path to the offending request field.
          type: string
        message:
          description: Human-readable explanation of the failed validation rule.
          type: string
    PwsErrorBase:
      description: Common fields present on every PWS API error object.
      type: object
      required:
        - type
        - status
        - instance
        - code
      properties:
        type:
          description: Machine-readable error class.
          type: string
        status:
          description: HTTP status code returned for this error.
          type: integer
          format: int32
        instance:
          description: Request identifier for this specific error occurrence.
          type: string
        code:
          description: Stable machine-readable error code.
          type: string
        doc_url:
          description: Optional link to documentation for this error.
          type: string
          format: uri
  examples:
    users-bad-request:
      summary: Invalid request
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 400
          code: bad_request
          causes:
            - field: email
              message: Invalid email address
    users-unauthenticated:
      summary: Authentication failed
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 401
          code: unauthenticated
    users-forbidden:
      summary: Caller is not allowed
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 403
          code: forbidden
    users-resource-exhausted:
      summary: Rate limit exceeded
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 429
          code: resource_exhausted
    users-internal:
      summary: Internal error
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 500
          code: internal
    users-service-unavailable:
      summary: Service unavailable
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 503
          code: unavailable
    users-deadline-exceeded:
      summary: Request deadline exceeded
      value:
        error:
          type: users_error
          instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
          status: 504
          code: deadline_exceeded
  securitySchemes:
    ApiKey:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: API-Key
      description: Your public API key. Identifies the partner making the request.
    ApiSign:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: API-Sign
      description: HMAC signature over the request, computed with your private key.
    ApiNonce:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: API-Nonce
      description: Monotonically increasing nonce included in the request signature.

````