With the interest and investment in cryptocurrency growing over the past few years, the need for safe and secure brokers to invest in crypto has increased.
Coinbase is one of the oldest and globally the most popular cryptocurrency brokers currently available. Launched in San Francisco in 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam, Coinbase has grown to be one of the biggest cryptocurrency companies around the world. The company has been publicly listed on NASDAQ since April 2021 and was added to the S&P 500 index in May 2025.
If you want to learn more about this crypto company and get more familiar with the exchange, keep on reading this Coinbase review.
Coinbase review summary: Coinbase is one of the largest crypto brokers and exchanges in the world with more than 120 million verified users. They offer more than 250 cryptos which can be traded with easy payment methods like credit card, iDEAL, Bancontact or Wero. The Coinbase fees you pay for every transaction are relatively high (1.49%) if you compare this with the competition.Â
Alternatives like Bybit and Bitvavo offer a maximum of 0.25% trading fees, which is significantly cheaper.
First impression of Coinbase
Coinbase started only as a Bitcoin brokerage service. Additional services were later added on the way. By 2013, the company was the highest-funded Bitcoin project as well as the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.
Currently, Coinbase is a fully regulated and licensed exchange and broker in one. The company supports more than 100 countries with more than 120 million verified users across the globe. Coinbase holds a MiCA licence from Luxembourg (CSSF), allowing it to legally operate in all 27 EU countries.
Coinbase has been publicly listed on NASDAQ since April 2021. In May 2025, the company was added to the S&P 500 index, underlining the growing legitimacy of the crypto industry. The market capitalisation is over $80 billion.
Coinbase has an easy-to-use platform that makes it a great tool for those just beginning in the crypto industry. It has a clean interface that is easy to navigate. The tools that you may need for trading are also available at your fingertips.
Additionally, it has a proper guide on how to use the platform, especially for beginners.
Key features of Coinbase
- Coinbase has wide range of different cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum
- The broker platform has an easy-to-use interface
- Accepts US customers
- Accepts all comon payment methods.
- More than 120 million verified users worldwide.
- Coinbase Advanced Trade for lower trading fees.
- High level of security and wallet insurance.
- High liquidity that protects the users against serious price variation in an already volatile market.
- MiCA licence from Luxembourg (CSSF).
- Coinbase Visa Card for spending crypto.
Summary
| Offer | 250+ cryptos. |
| Fees | 1.49% fixed fee + payment costs (compare Bitcoin prices). |
| Payment methods | SEPA Bank transfer, Credit Card and more. |
| Staking | Yes, earn interest on various cryptos. |
| Built-in wallets | Yes, for all cryptos. |
| Insurance | Yes. |
| Bonuses | 10 USD free BTC. |
| Regulation | MiCA licence (CSSF, Luxembourg). Publicly listed (NASDAQ). S&P 500. |
| API | Yes, automatic trading is possible. |
| Support | 24/7. |
| Email address | support@coinbase.com. |
Claim up to 167 USD of crypto for free with Coinbase Earn
Coinbase Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Â High brand awareness | Â Very high fees (compare BTC prices) |
| Â High liquidity and 120+ million users | Â Additional costs for payment methods |
| Publicly listed (NASDAQ) and S&P 500 | Not a lot of listed currencies |
| Â MiCA licence (Luxembourg) | Â |
Coinbase offer
Coinbase is a leading mainstream cryptocurrency broker from the United States, trading more than 250 cryptocurrencies. The cryptocurrencies range from popular ones such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana to the less popular ones such as Chainlink and Litecoin.
Besides cryptocurrency brokerage, Coinbase offers a variety of other products:
- Coinbase Advanced Trade:Â advanced trading platform with lower fees and more order types.
- Coinbase One:Â paid subscription ($29.99/month) with 0% trading fees and priority support.
- Coinbase Wallet:Â self-custody wallet for DeFi and dApps.
- Coinbase Visa Card:Â debit card that allows you to spend crypto.
- Staking:Â earn returns on various cryptos.
- Coinbase Earn:Â learn about crypto and earn at the same time.
Guide how to trade on Coinbase
To start trading with Coinbase, you first need to have an account with the broker. We will guide you step-by-step how to trade on Coinbase, from registering to funding to trading crypto.
How to register an account?
- Go to the official Coinbase.com.
- Click Get started.
- Enter your name, email, and password (ensure you use a unique and safe password).
- Click Create an account, which confirms that you have agreed with the user agreement and privacy policy.
- Click the verification link sent to your email address.
- After verifying your email, you will need to provide a phone number.
- Complete KYC verification: upload an ID document and take a selfie.
- You have the option to link your bank account to fund your account with EUR, GBP or USD.
How to fund Coinbase with your bank account?
- Link your bank account to your Coinbase account.
- Select your payment method: credit card, PayPal, Wero or bank transfer.
- The cryptocurrency you have purchased will be immediately available for trading on Coinbase.
- Once the transaction is confirmed, your cryptocurrency will immediately be available in your Coinbase Digital Wallet. You can buy, sell, or trade the digital coin on Coinbase immediately after your purchase.
How to place a buy order?
You have deposited your funds and you are now ready to make your first order. Here is the procedure:
- Login to your Coinbase account.
- Click Trade from your dashboard.
- A window with Buy, Sell, and Trade will appear. Select Buy.
- Enter the amount you want to buy and click Buy.
- The system will tell you the amount of cryptocurrency you are going to get, depending on the exchange rate.
- Click Buy to proceed with the process.
- Enter the verification code.
The cryptocurrency will appear on your account.
How to place a sell order?
When you want to sell your cryptocurrencies, you can follow these steps:
- Select the Trade button.
- Select Sell.
- Select the crypto you want to sell and have it sell to your fiat wallet.
- Select your Fiat wallet.
- Select Withdraw.
Easy as that!
Verifications and Limits
Coinbase requires all customers to verify their identity before they can trade. KYC (Know Your Customer) verification is mandatory. This is a standard requirement for all regulated crypto exchanges under MiCA regulations.
Coinbase uses identity verification in compliance with KYC regulations. This is a way of identifying and confirming that a customer is who they say they are. KYC is a process that helps in preventing the creation and use of fraudulent accounts.
Coinbase fees and other costs
For this Coinbase review, we focus on the European Coinbase fees. The fees vary based on the method of payment.
| Payment Method | Coinbase Fee |
|---|---|
| Bank Account | 1.49% |
| Debit/Credit Card | 3.99% |
| Coinbase USD Wallet | 1.49% |
| Crypto Conversion | 2.00% |
Coinbase also charges additional variable spreads on purchases and trades. According to the broker, they charge 0.50% when one buys and sells cryptocurrency. Market fluctuations can influence this rate, making it higher or lower.
In addition to the cost of depositing money and the spread, there is also a Coinbase Fee which is dependent on the value of the purchase and the type of payment.
This makes Coinbase one of the more expensive options on the market.
For comparison: Bitvavo charges a maximum of 0.25% trading fees and offers free deposits via iDEAL. On an investment of $1,000, you would pay $14.90 in fees at Coinbase (excluding spread), while at Bitvavo you pay a maximum of $2.50. That is nearly 6 times as expensive.
Coinbase Advanced Trade
Coinbase Advanced Trade (formerly Coinbase Pro) is the advanced trading environment of Coinbase. It allows experienced traders to use advanced order types, live order books and detailed charts. The fees on Advanced Trade are lower than the standard broker platform, with a maker-taker model starting at 0.60% taker and 0.40% maker for small volumes.
While Advanced Trade is cheaper than the standard broker platform, the fees are still higher than alternatives like Bitvavo (max 0.25%), Bybit (max 0.25%) or OKX (max 0.20% maker / 0.35% taker).
Using Advanced Trade is a good way to avoid the high Coinbase fees.
Using Coinbase Pro is a good way to avoid the high Coinbase fees.
Is Coinbase safe?
Coinbase is one of the oldest and most regulated crypto companies in the world, founded in 2012 in San Francisco. The company has been publicly listed on NASDAQ (since April 2021) and is part of the S&P 500 index (since May 2025).
Coinbase holds a MiCA licence from Luxembourg (CSSF), making it fully regulated for the European market. Additionally, Coinbase had already obtained licences in Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
Many starting crypto investors start out with Coinbase and the company has a very big brand awareness. Everybody in the crypto world knows Coinbase.
So, Coinbase is a safe crypto broker and exchange. The wallets are insured and the company maintains strict security measures, including cold storage, 2FA and comprehensive insurance policies.
Please keep in mind that you are responsible for the security of your account. Always use strong and unique passwords. Also activate 2FA to make your account even more secure.
Coinbase vs Bybit: comparison
For traders looking for an alternative with lower fees, here is how Coinbase compares to Bybit:
| Â | Coinbase | Bybit |
|---|---|---|
| Offer | 250+ cryptos | 1,700+ cryptos |
| Trading fees | 1.49% (broker) / 0.60% (Advanced) | 0.10% maker / 0.10% taker |
| Regulation | MiCA licence (CSSF, Luxembourg) | Licences in multiple jurisdictions |
| Payment methods | iDEAL, Bancontact, Wero, credit card | SEPA, Wero, credit card, P2P |
| Users | 120+ million (worldwide) | 60+ million (worldwide) |
| Staking | Yes, various cryptos | Yes (Flexible, Fixed, Launchpool) |
| Futures | No (for EU) | Yes, up to 200x leverage |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Card | Visa Card | Mastercard |
| Publicly listed | Yes (NASDAQ, S&P 500) | No |
Conclusion:Â Coinbase is a highly trusted and regulated platform, ideal for beginners and those who value the security of a publicly listed company. However, the fees are significantly higher than alternatives. Bybit offers much lower trading fees (0.10% vs 1.49%), a far larger coin selection (1,700+ vs 250+) and additional features like futures, copy trading and a crypto card. For cost-conscious traders, Coinbase Advanced Trade or switching to a lower-fee platform is recommended.
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