Coinbase

Who is behind Coinbase?

Coinbase is a US crypto platform whose shares trade on the Nasdaq.^[1] In the EEA, your contract is with two companies: Coinbase Luxembourg S.A. for crypto services and Coinbase Ireland Limited for your cash balance (e-money). This set-up took effect between August and October 2025, depending on your country.^[2]

Since 20 June 2025, Coinbase Luxembourg S.A. has been authorised by Luxembourg’s regulator CSSF as a crypto-asset service provider (CASPGlossaryCASP (crypto-asset service provider)A company that professionally provides crypto-asset services to customers – such as trading, exchange, custody or transfers. In the EU, every CASP needs an authorisation under MiCA.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 2 – Choosing a provider →In the glossary →×) under MiCAGlossaryMiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation)The EU regulation on markets in crypto-assets. Since 30 December 2024, exchanges, brokers and custodians in the EU have needed authorisation; the last transitional period ended on 1 July 2026. MiCA regulates providers, not Bitcoin itself.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 2 – Choosing a provider →In the glossary →×, covering custody, exchangeTermExchange (crypto exchange)A trading platform where buyers and sellers trade bitcoin with each other via an order book.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 2 – Choosing a provider →In the glossary →AdLicensed providers with a paid linkProviders from our comparisonKrakenExchange · MiCA (Central Bank of Ireland)Visit Kraken* (paid link, opens in a new window)BitvavoExchange · MiCA (AFM, Netherlands)Visit Bitvavo* (paid link, opens in a new window)CoinbaseExchange · MiCA (CSSF, Luxembourg)Visit Coinbase* (paid link, opens in a new window)All 7 compared – including non-partners →*Paid link: if you sign up or buy through it, we earn a commission. Your price stays the same. How we make money →18+ · Crypto assets are highly volatile; you could lose all your money. No deposit protection.× and transfer of crypto-assets, among other services. Through passporting, the licence applies in every EEA country.^[3] What that means: MiCA & regulation.

Costs (as of September 2026)

Coinbase does not publish a fixed rate for simple purchases. Costs depend on the payment method, order size, market conditions and country, among other things.^[4]

• Simple purchase and savings planGlossarySavings plan (Bitcoin savings plan)Automatically buying bitcoin at fixed intervals with a fixed amount, for example $50 a month. A savings plan takes the question of the right moment off your hands, but doesn’t promise a higher return.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 4 – Setting up a savings plan →In the glossary →×: a spreadGlossarySpread (bid-ask spread)The difference between the buy and sell price. With many apps, the spread is the real fee – it just doesn’t appear as a separate item on your statement.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 2 – Choosing a provider →In the glossary →× built into the price plus a Coinbase fee. The order preview shows both before you confirm.^[4]
• Simple limit orderGlossaryLimit orderA buy or sell order with a price limit: it is only executed at your price or better. That secures the price, but not the execution – the market may never get there.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 3 – Buying Bitcoin →In the glossary →×: an extra 1% execution fee; depending on the payment method, a Coinbase fee of 1.875% may be added.^[4]
• Coinbase Advanced: no spread, but maker and taker feesGlossaryMaker and taker feesA fee model used by exchanges: whoever places an order in the order book and so provides liquidity (maker) usually pays less than someone who immediately accepts an existing order (taker).On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 1 – Ways to get Bitcoin →In the glossary →×, tiered by your trading volume over the last 30 days.^[4],[5]
• Cash deposits and withdrawals: a fee may apply, depending on the payment method.^[4]
• Custody: no fee. For withdrawals to your own wallet, Coinbase charges an estimated network fee.^[4]

The savings planTermSavings plan (Bitcoin savings plan)Automatically buying bitcoin at fixed intervals with a fixed amount, for example $50 a month.On the learning path: Stage 4 · Step 4 – Setting up a savings plan →In the glossary →AdLicensed providers with a paid linkProviders from our comparison21bitcoinBitcoin app · MiCA (FMA, Austria)No paid link for your country · Profile →RelaiBitcoin app · MiCA (AMF, France)No paid link for your country · Profile →BISONExchange · MiCA (BaFin, Germany)No paid link for your country · Profile →All 11 compared – including non-partners →*Paid link: if you sign up or buy through it, we earn a commission. Your price stays the same. How we make money →18+ · Crypto assets are highly volatile; you could lose all your money. No deposit protection.× (‘recurring buy’) runs weekly, on the 1st and 15th of the month, or monthly. When you set it up, a first purchase is executed immediately.^[6] How to compare total costs: Understanding fees.

Custody and withdrawals

As long as your bitcoin are held by Coinbase, the provider is your custodianGlossaryCustodian (custodial)A provider such as an exchange or app that holds the private keys for you. Convenient, because support can help if you lose your password – but you don’t hold the bitcoin yourself and depend on the provider paying out.On the learning path: Stage 5 · Step 1 – Understanding custody →In the glossary →×. Neither crypto-assets nor cash balances are covered by deposit guarantee or investor compensation schemes; Coinbase Ireland must keep e-money separate from its own funds.^[2]

You can send bitcoin to your own wallet on-chain or via LightningGlossaryLightning NetworkA second layer on top of Bitcoin for fast, low-cost payments. Amounts move off the blockchain via payment channels; only opening and closing a channel ends up in a block as a normal transaction.On the learning path: Stage 1 · Step 3 – How does Bitcoin work? →In the glossary →×. For Lightning you need an invoice from the receiving wallet; Coinbase does not support Lightning addresses.^[7] Step by step: Your first withdrawal to your own wallet.

Incidents

• Data theft, 2025: criminals bribed support staff outside the USA. They copied data belonging to less than 1% of monthly transacting users, including names, addresses, account balances and ID images. According to Coinbase, passwords, private keys and funds were not affected. Coinbase refused a $20 million ransom demand. What matters for you: Coinbase never asks for your password or 2FA code and never asks you to move funds to a new address – such calls are scams.^[8] More: Spotting scams.
• Fine, 2025: the Central Bank of Ireland fined Coinbase Europe Limited around €21.5 million. Because of errors in the configuration of its monitoring system, more than 30 million transactions over a twelve-month period had not been properly checked for money laundering.^[9]