What is Identity V COA IX?
COA IX is Identity V's ninth competitive championship spanning January 8-28, 2026. Two phases: Sacred Sanctum (December 31, 2026 - January 8, 2026) and Divine Procession (January 8-22, 2026).
Tournament structure splits into Leviathan Shore (top 100 teams per region, 20-day qualification) and Ancient Passage (top 8 teams per region). Japan sends top 5 teams (S2/S5/S16) or top 6 (S1). NA-EU and Southeast Asia each send top 8 to Online Qualifiers.
For tournament essences and cosmetics, buy Identity V echoes recharge online through BitTopup for competitive pricing and instant delivery.
Scoring System
Team points = highest Hunter score × 2 + top 4 Survivor scores (from 5 best players). Hunter matches award 1200-1500 points, Survivor matches grant 800-1000 points. This creates 3:1 value weighting toward Hunter performance.
Teams register 1-7 players initially but need minimum 5 for Online Qualifiers. Maximum one non-permanent resident per roster.
Match Structure
Leviathan Shore: 6 daily matches per role, 60 total per role across 20 days
Ancient Passage: 5 daily matches per role, 20 total per role
Match Windows:
- Quick Matches: 12:00-22:00 server time
- Ranked Matches: 12:00-14:00, 19:00-21:00 server time
- Ancient Passage: 19:00-21:00 only
Hunter and Survivor counters operate independently. Quick/Ranked share the same daily pool per role. Daily limits reset 00:00 UTC+8.
Hunter queues: 3-5 minutes. Survivor queues: 1-2 minutes. Leaderboards update every 15-30 minutes.
New for COA IX
Stricter residency requirements (max one non-permanent resident). Roster locks after registration—no changes during Online Qualifiers. Individual Abyss Battle qualification requires 1500 Quick/Ranked points or 3000 Duo Hunters points.
Registration Deadlines
Hard deadline: January 14, 2026 at 09:00 UTC+8. No extensions.
Effective deadline: January 13, 2026 at 21:00 UTC+8 (accounting for 12-hour club membership requirement before points count).
Key Dates:
- December 31, 2025: Sacred Sanctum opens
- January 8, 2026: Sacred Sanctum ends, Divine Procession begins
- January 14, 2026: Registration closes
- January 22, 2026: Divine Procession ends
- January 28, 2026: COA IX concludes
After registration closes, rosters lock permanently. Unregistered players can't earn tournament points or competitive rewards.
Registration Guide
Eligibility Requirements
- Maximum one non-permanent resident per team
- Join club 12+ hours before matches count
- Maintain registered roster throughout Online Qualifiers
- 5-7 players recommended (5 minimum for Online Qualifiers)
Registration Steps
- Create/join club (becomes team identity)
- Designate club leader for registration management
- Verify residency status for all members
- Submit registration through in-game tournament menu
- Confirm all members joined club 12+ hours before competing
Required Documentation
- Residency verification for non-permanent residents (government ID/proof of address)
- Account verification (clean standing, no violations)
- Age verification (parental consent for minors in some regions)
Common Errors
12-hour club requirement: Join 24+ hours before competing to ensure threshold passes.
Residency limit: Verify all members before registration—violations cause disqualification.
Incomplete rosters: Register 5-7 players initially; can't add members after deadline.
Rewards Breakdown
Fragment Rewards by Rank
- Rank 1: 2000 Fragments/member
- Rank 2: 1500 Fragments/member
- Rank 3: 1200 Fragments/member
- Ranks 4-8: 800 Fragments/member
- Ranks 9-16: 600 Fragments/member
- Ranks 17-50: 500 Fragments/member
Exclusive Cosmetics
Limited Skins: 3-5 exclusive character skins (championship-themed). Direct purchase: 1188-1888 Echoes. Essence-based: randomized through COA IX Essences.
Portrait Frames: Participation frames for registered players meeting minimum matches. Achievement frames for ranking thresholds.
Profile Decorations: Chat bubbles, lobby animations, namecards.
COA IX Essences
Pricing: 168-318 Echoes per pull. 10-pull bundles offer 5-10% discounts.
Drop Rates: S-tier items 1-3%. Guaranteed S-tier after 60-250 pulls (essence-dependent).
Duplicate Protection: No identical items until collecting all within rarity tier.
Spectator Rewards
- 50-200 Fragments for watching complete matches
- Prediction systems: wager Fragments on outcomes
- Viewing milestones: exclusive cosmetics for 10+ championship matches or 7-day streaks
Echo Cost Analysis
Complete Collection
Full collection: 25,000-40,000 Echoes (all skins, essences, cosmetics)
Partial collection: 8,000-15,000 Echoes (favorite characters only)
Budget approach: 3,000-8,000 Echoes (1-2 targeted skins + selective essences)
Essence Costs
60-pull cycle: 10,080 Echoes at 168/pull, 9,000-9,600 with 10-pull bundles
Promotional pricing: 20-30% discounts during tournament phases (24-48 hour windows)
Optional Items
- Emotes/graffiti: 388-688 Echoes
- Special effects: 888-1,888 Echoes
- Bundle packages: 15-25% savings vs individual purchases
Fragment rewards offset costs—Rank 1 finish (2000 Fragments) = ~1,500-2,000 Echo value.
Echo Saving Strategies
Prioritization
- Fragment-purchasable items over Echo-exclusives
- Character-specific cosmetics for mains
- Permanent items over consumables
- True exclusives over potentially returning items
Timing
- Purchase during platform sales (10-20% bonus Echoes on top-ups)
- Wait until phase conclusions to assess actual desired items
- Monitor essence contents before purchasing
Free Echo Sources
- Daily login/weekly missions: 200-500 Echoes/month
- Maintenance compensation: 100-300 Echoes
- Seasonal ranking rewards
- First-time purchase bonus: double Echoes
Limited-Time Offers
- Bundle packages: 25-40% better value than standard purchases
- Referral programs: 20-50 Echoes per action
- Social sharing rewards
BitTopup Advantages
Identity V echoes top up through BitTopup offers:
Pricing: 3-8% savings vs in-game rates. Promotional periods: 10-15% discounts.
Speed: 5-15 minute delivery. Priority processing under 5 minutes.
Security: Encrypted payments, official top-up channels (no account sharing), delivery verification before payment finalization.
Support: 24/7 live chat, multi-language assistance, comprehensive FAQ resources.
Loyalty: Points system for repeat customers, convertible to future discounts.
Regional Qualifiers
Regional Variations
Japan: S2/S5/S16 send top 5 teams, S1 sends top 6
NA-EU/Southeast Asia: Top 8 teams per region
Leviathan Shore top 100 advancement creates broader qualification tier than Ancient Passage top 8.
Preparation
- Role specialization training
- Meta analysis (current tier lists, ban priorities)
- Scrim scheduling vs competitive teams
- Communication protocol development
Advancement
Ancient Passage top 8 advance to Online Qualifiers (bracket-style elimination). Championship stage represents 5-8 teams per region.
Maximizing COA IX Experience
Daily Tasks
- Tournament mission chains: 10/25/50/100 matches unlock progressive rewards
- Character-specific missions encourage diverse roster usage
- Team-based missions require coordinated achievements
Spectating
- Official broadcasts: prediction opportunities, watch time milestones
- 1 hour = small fragments, 20+ hours = exclusive frames/cosmetics
- Prediction accuracy tracking may unlock veteran rewards
Community Events
- Fan art contests, creation challenges
- Social media campaigns (sharing, hashtags)
- Community voting unlocks universal rewards
Skill Building
- Analyze professional replays for advanced strategies
- Master character techniques beyond basic competency
- Develop clear callout systems and role assignments
FAQ
When does registration close?
January 14, 2026 at 09:00 UTC+8. Join club 12+ hours before matches to ensure eligibility.
Minimum team requirements?
1-7 players initially, 5 minimum for Online Qualifiers. Max one non-permanent resident. No roster changes after registration.
How are points calculated?
Highest Hunter score × 2 + top 4 Survivor scores (from 5 best players). Hunter: 1200-1500 points. Survivor: 800-1000 points.
What rewards do teams get?
Rank 1: 2000 Fragments/member. Rank 2: 1500. Rank 3: 1200. Ranks 4-8: 800. Ranks 9-16: 600. Ranks 17-50: 500.
Match limits?
Leviathan Shore: 6 daily/60 total per role. Ancient Passage: 5 daily/20 total per role. Resets 00:00 UTC+8.
Match windows?
Quick: 12:00-22:00. Ranked: 12:00-14:00, 19:00-21:00. Ancient Passage: 19:00-21:00 only.
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