Coinbase
The largest US-listed crypto exchange, with a simple buy screen and the Coinbase Advanced order book.
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Coinbase key facts
| Category | Crypto exchange |
|---|---|
| US availability | Licensed in New York (BitLicense) and other states |
| Trading fees | Maker/taker tiers by 30-day volume, shown after sign-in |
| Simple buy fee | Coinbase fee plus spread, shown in order preview |
| Debit card purchase | Debit card accepted; fee varies by payment method, shown in the trade preview |
| Staking (US) | Yes, 35% standard commission on rewards |
| US licenses | NY BitLicense, state MTLs, NMLS 1163082 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Self-custody wallet | Coinbase Wallet |
Not verified yet: coins available (us). We add a value only after checking it on Coinbase’s own pages.
What is Coinbase?
Coinbase is a US crypto platform run by Coinbase, Inc., part of the public company Coinbase Global, Inc. It has a simple buy and sell screen and an order-book platform, Coinbase Advanced, with fees tiered by 30-day volume. Its self-custody wallet is a separate app, Coinbase Wallet.
How Coinbase works
Coinbase executes every trade from your primary balance on the Coinbase Exchange central limit order book or through competitive auctions.
It says it has no payment-for-order-flow deals with market makers. The simple Buy and Sell screen quotes a price that includes a spread. Coinbase Advanced skips the spread and lets you trade directly on the order book at maker and taker rates. The app can also route trades to decentralized exchanges through its DEX Trading feature, and it submits those transactions in a way meant to keep bots from front-running them. Staking goes through the same account, and Coinbase takes a commission from the rewards the network pays.
How to start with Coinbase
- You can sign up on the web or in the app with an email address or an Apple or Google account.
- You then verify a phone number by SMS, enter your legal name as it appears on your government ID, and confirm you are at least 18 before identity verification.
- Holding cash or crypto on Coinbase is free, and so are transfers between two Coinbase users' primary balances.
- Depending on the payment method, adding cash or cashing out may carry a fee, which is shown before you confirm.
Coinbase fees and limits
- Simple limit orders add a separate 1% execution fee, and Coinbase says it may also charge a 1.875% Coinbase fee depending on the payment method.
- Coinbase One members pay no trading fee on eligible trades, though the spread and the 1% limit-order fee still apply.
- Staking commission is 35% of rewards as standard, dropping to between 25.25% and 31.75% for Coinbase One tiers on some assets.
- Other listed charges: 0.2% to send bitcoin over Lightning, 0.01% on USDT withdrawals with a 20 USDT maximum, and 2% if Coinbase has to sell BTC collateral on a loan.
Simple buys and sells show a Coinbase fee and a spread on the preview screen.
Risks to know before using Coinbase
- Coinbase disclosed in a May 2025 Form 8-K that support contractors outside the US had been paid to pull customer data.
- The exposed data included names, addresses, masked SSNs, government ID images and balance snapshots.
- Passwords and private keys were not involved.
- Coinbase estimated $180 million to $400 million in remediation and voluntary reimbursement costs.
- Assets on the exchange are custodial, and the staking page states that Coinbase, Inc. is not registered with the SEC or CFTC.
Coinbase alternatives
Other exchanges US customers compare with Coinbase.
US-available crypto exchange with an instant-buy app and the Kraken Pro order book.
Coinbase vs Kraken →US crypto exchange and custodian, public since September 2025, available in all 50 states.
Coinbase vs Gemini →Crypto app available in every US state except New York, with fees shown in the trade preview.
Coinbase vs Crypto.com →Crypto trading inside the Robinhood app, commission-free by default with an optional exchange-routing mode.
Coinbase vs Robinhood Crypto →US exchange run separately from Binance.com, with low order-book fees but limited state coverage.
Multi-asset platform for crypto, fiat and precious metals, priced with a spread instead of a commission.
Where Coinbase ranks on DappAtlas
Listed next to Coinbase
Coinbase compared
Coinbase pros and cons
- Parent company is public and files with the SEC
- Stablecoin pairs on Advanced cost 0.00% maker / 0.0045% taker
- Separate self-custody app: Coinbase Wallet
- Entry fees on Advanced of 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker
- A 2025 data breach exposed customer ID images and partial SSNs
- Simple-buy spread is not published on a page we could check
Coinbase FAQ
What is Coinbase?
Coinbase is a US crypto platform run by Coinbase, Inc., part of the public company Coinbase Global, Inc. It has a simple buy and sell screen and an order-book platform, Coinbase Advanced, with fees tiered by 30-day volume. Its self-custody wallet is a separate app, Coinbase Wallet.
Is Coinbase available in the US?
Licensed in New York (BitLicense) and other states, according to Coinbase’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026).
What are Coinbase’s trading fees?
At the lowest volume tier: Maker/taker tiers by 30-day volume, shown after sign-in. Higher-volume traders pay less.
How much does it cost to buy crypto on Coinbase?
On the simple buy screen: Coinbase fee plus spread, shown in order preview.
Can I stake on Coinbase?
Yes, 35% standard commission on rewards.
Does Coinbase hold my crypto?
Coinbase is custodial: it holds the keys to your balance. To hold your own keys, withdraw to a self-custody wallet.
Sources
How this page works
Sources: Coinbase: official site, Coinbase: licenses and disclosures, Coinbase Advanced fees. Data as of Oct 1, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.