> ## 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.

# Get user

> Retrieve a previously created user by their user ID.

Returns the user's core resource, including its canonical `id`, the partner-supplied `external_reference`, the `created_at` timestamp, and the `accounts` associated with the user.

Common use cases:
- Confirm a user exists and retrieve its account IDs before issuing account-scoped calls.
- Read the partner-supplied reference associated with a user.

To retrieve onboarding state and pending actions, use **Get Verification Requirements**.



## OpenAPI

````yaml https://dsct1ci24fgcu.cloudfront.net/prod/merged/openapi.json get /v1/users/{user_id}
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/{user_id}:
    get:
      tags:
        - Users
      summary: Get user
      description: >-
        Retrieve a previously created user by their user ID.


        Returns the user's core resource, including its canonical `id`, the
        partner-supplied `external_reference`, the `created_at` timestamp, and
        the `accounts` associated with the user.


        Common use cases:

        - Confirm a user exists and retrieve its account IDs before issuing
        account-scoped calls.

        - Read the partner-supplied reference associated with a user.


        To retrieve onboarding state and pending actions, use **Get Verification
        Requirements**.
      operationId: getUser
      parameters:
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/UserId'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Response
          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:
                    $ref: '#/components/schemas/Users_User'
                    description: Retrieved user resource.
                required:
                  - data
              examples:
                active-user:
                  summary: Active user with no pending actions
                  value:
                    data:
                      id: AA45N8G4MLDYWAR7
                      external_reference: partner-customer-12345
                      created_at: '2025-08-12T14:08:00Z'
                      accounts:
                        - id: WX6VJUKWKKPBQE36
                          name: main
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersBadRequestResponse'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersUnauthenticatedResponse'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/UsersForbiddenResponse'
        '404':
          description: User not found
          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/Users_UserNotFoundError'
              examples:
                user-not-found:
                  summary: User not found
                  value:
                    error:
                      type: users_error
                      status: 404
                      instance: req_01H00000000000000000000000
                      code: user_not_found
        '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 GET
            "https://api.services.payward.com/v1/users/AA45N8G4MLDYWAR7" \
              -H "API-Key: $PWS_API_KEY" \
              -H "API-Nonce: $PWS_API_NONCE" \
              -H "API-Sign: $PWS_API_SIGN"
components:
  parameters:
    UserId:
      name: user_id
      in: path
      required: true
      example: AA23N84GGQN4WE6I
      schema:
        $ref: '#/components/schemas/UserId'
  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
  schemas:
    Users_User:
      title: User
      description: Retrieved user resource.
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          description: User ID, also used as the user's canonical identifier.
          type: string
          minLength: 14
          maxLength: 42
        external_reference:
          description: >-
            Optional partner-supplied reference for this user. Typically an
            identifier in the partner's own system, but any opaque string the
            partner wants to associate with the user is accepted.
          type: string
        created_at:
          description: The datetime when the user was created in ISO 8601 format.
          type: string
          format: date-time
        accounts:
          description: Accounts associated with the 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:
        - created_at
        - id
    Users_UserNotFoundError:
      description: The requested user does not exist or is not accessible.
      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: 404
                    code:
                      type: string
                      enum:
                        - user_not_found
    UserId:
      description: Globally unique public identifier for a user.
      type: string
      minLength: 14
      maxLength: 42
    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
    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
    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'
    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
    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
  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'
  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.

````