A real, regulated exchange — with limits every beginner should know before depositing.
Running since 2012, listed on Nasdaq as COIN since 2021, and in the S&P 500 since May 2025. US state licences plus a New York BitLicense and UK FCA registration.
The SEC sued in June 2023 over unregistered trading and staking. It dismissed the case in February 2025 — no penalty, no business change. The wider token rules are still unsettled.
USD at partner banks: up to $250,000 FDIC pass-through. Crypto and USDC: NO FDIC, NO SIPC. Private crime insurance covers only part of hot-wallet theft — never your own hacked account.
Bribed support staff stole data for 69,461 customers. No passwords, keys or funds taken — but names, IDs and balances now fuel fake Coinbase support scams. Hang up on any caller asking you to move crypto.
Analytics vendor Amplitude exposed contact data for a small subset of customers. Coinbase says its own systems were not breached and funds were not affected — and disputes the 70,000 figure.
Password changes, new devices and big withdrawals can trigger reviews. Buying may stop while sending crypto out and cashing dollars out still work. Full freezes are rare — court orders or sanctions only.
The Coinbase vs Binance vs hardware wallet comparison, the safety checklist, and the verdict for beginners — all in the free guide.
Read the Full Guide →