---
url: /docs/learn/sandbox-vs-production.md
description: >-
  The exact behavioral differences between development and production instances,
  plus a checklist for switching over.
---

Development and production instances expose the same API surface: same endpoints, same fields, same response shapes. What differs is how money, KYC, and reviews behave behind the scenes. This page lists every difference so nothing surprises you at go-live.

## KYC

On development instances, every customer is auto-approved regardless of the documents you submit. Use any placeholder URLs for document fields, they are not actually verified.

To test a rejection on development, set the first name (individuals) or legal name (businesses) to `Fail`.

On production:

| Verification type | Review timeline |
| --- | --- |
| KYC Standard | About 60 seconds, automatic |
| KYC Enhanced | 3 hours to 1 business day, manual |
| KYB Standard | 3 hours to 1 business day, manual |

Customers from high-risk countries always require Enhanced KYC. Businesses (KYB) always require manual review. A customer's status starts as `verifying` and moves to `approved`, `rejected`, or `compliance_request` (an open request for information) as review completes. See [KYC](/kb/kyc) for required fields, limits, and the RFI flow.

## Test token

Development instances use **USDB**, a BlindPay-issued test stablecoin, in place of real USDC/USDT. You can mint unlimited USDB on EVM testnets, Stellar Testnet, and Solana Devnet.

To mint on EVM testnets (Base Sepolia by default in the docs' examples):

1. Get testnet ETH for gas from the [Base Sepolia faucet](https://www.alchemy.com/faucets/base-sepolia)
2. Go to `https://app.blindpay.com/instances/YOUR_INSTANCE_ID/utilities/mint` and mint USDB to your wallet

Stellar and Solana minting use dedicated endpoints (create a trustline first on Stellar, then mint); see [Payouts](/stablecoin/payouts#mint-usdb) for the full request bodies.

## Payout behavior

On development instances, payouts skip the fiat payment rails entirely: there is no real bank transfer. Payouts still go through the same on-chain authorization step, but once you create the payout, the payout status moves to `completed` automatically instead of waiting on a real bank transfer.

The authorization step itself is unchanged between development and production: ERC-20 `approve` on EVM chains, a signed XDR on Stellar, or token delegation on Solana.

On production, the payout actually moves fiat to the recipient's bank account, with timing dependent on the bank account `type` (see the table in [Cut-off times](/kb/cut-off-times)).

## Payin behavior

On development instances, every payin auto-completes about 30 seconds after you call the create-payin endpoint, regardless of payment method. No real transfer needs to arrive.

On production, BlindPay waits for the real payment to arrive before completing the payin. Arrival windows depend on `payment_method`:

| Payment method | Currency | Arrival window |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `ach` | USD | Up to 5 business days |
| `wire` | USD | Up to 5 business days |
| `pix` | BRL | Up to 5 minutes |
| `spei` | MXN | Up to 5 minutes |
| `transfers` | ARS | Up to 5 minutes |
| `pse` | COP | Up to 5 minutes |

## Virtual accounts

On development instances, virtual accounts are auto-approved with no compliance or bank review.

On production, virtual accounts go through a two-stage review:

1. **Compliance review**, status `pending_review`
2. **Bank review**, status `verifying`

The result is `approved` or `rejected`. Neither stage guarantees approval. Issuance SLAs vary by account type; see [Virtual accounts](/fiat/virtual-accounts) for the full table. You receive a webhook when the status changes either way.

## Webhooks

Webhooks behave identically on development and production: same event names, same payload shapes, same signature verification. Use the webhook events dashboard on your development instance to inspect deliveries and replay events while you build, before relying on the same flow in production. See [Webhooks](/learn/webhooks) for the full event list and signature verification.

## Testing amounts

On development instances, you can force a payin or payout into a specific outcome by using one of these amounts as the `request_amount`:

| Amount | Outcome |
| --- | --- |
| `666.00` | Failed |
| `777.00` | Refunded |

Any other amount completes successfully. These overrides only work on development; production processes the real amount you send.

## Switching to production

### Create a production instance

Production instances are created in the [BlindPay dashboard](https://app.blindpay.com), the same way as development ones. New production instances can take up to 3 business days to provision. See [Instances](/learn/instances).

### Generate a new API key

API keys are scoped to a single instance. A development key will not authenticate against your production instance. See [API keys](/learn/api-keys).

### Submit real KYC documents

Production KYC is actually verified. Replace placeholder document URLs with real, valid documents (ID, selfie, proof of address) for every customer you create.

### Use real bank account details

Bank account fields must be valid and reachable on production; there is no auto-approve to mask a typo'd routing number or account number.

### Remove testing amounts from your code

Strip any logic that relies on `666.00` or `777.00` to simulate outcomes. On production these are processed as the real amounts they are.

### Switch from USDB to USDC/USDT

Update `token` in your quote and mint requests from `USDB` to `USDC` or `USDT`, and point `network` at a production chain (`base`, `polygon`, `arbitrum`, `ethereum`, `stellar`, `solana`) instead of its testnet equivalent.

### Re-point webhooks

Create a webhook endpoint on the production instance pointing at your production URL; the development instance's webhook configuration does not carry over.

## Related

* [Instances](/learn/instances): what an instance is and the dev/prod capability table
* [API keys](/learn/api-keys): per-instance authentication
* [KYC](/kb/kyc): verification levels, required fields, and limits
* [Webhooks](/learn/webhooks): events, payloads, and signature verification
* [Cut-off times](/kb/cut-off-times): production settlement windows by payment method