As one of the earliest and most recognizable brands powering crypto adoption, Coinbase requires little introduction having led millions of retail traders into blockchain exposure while streamlining avenues for calculating institutions.
This comprehensive guide details key background, services offered, account creation, platform navigation, unique offerings, fees breakdown, and special considerations worth noting for those seeking entry to crypto markets through Coinbase’s integrated suite catering to diverse users from curious novices to hedge fund traders.
Article Highlights
Overview of Leading Crypto Exchange
Founded in mid-2012 out of San Francisco by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam, Coinbase began as simple cryptocurrency brokerage outlet only dealing Bitcoin via bank transfers. Yet over the ensuing decade, demand swelled exponentially as each market cycle ushered waves of new adopters.
In kind, Coinbase evolved expanding crypto asset integrations while ensuring compliant operating protocols necessary for servicing users across 103 supported countries today as one of the largest regulated exchanges globally.
Some current vital exchange attributes:
- 35M+ verified users making up 15-20% crypto asset market share
- 147 supported cryptocurrencies across spot, derivatives and yield arenas
- Over $327B in assets held under custody
- Quarterly trading volumes exceeding $300B
- Publicly traded company as of April 2021 (Nasdaq: COIN)
- Strong security and insurance protections safeguarding holdings
- Suite of exchange interfaces catering users of all types
This diverse product mix centered on cryptocurrency access established Coinbase as instrumental gateway welcoming both first-time buyers and institutional allocators into the burgeoning crypto economy.
What is Coinbase?
While the exchange requires little introduction today as publicly traded Nasdaq entity – rewind to early days sheds light on calculated strategy cementing brand as crypto’s mainstream gateway.
Rather than compete on breadth of assets or features in chase of power traders – Coinbase focused early efforts intensely on clean user interface, compliant operating protocols and compatibility with traditional bank rails. This calculated approach lowered barriers welcoming newcomers to explore crypto safely.
Additionally, early vertical integration efforts brought managed custody, insurance coverage, institutional sales arm and USDC stablecoin project – all under one roof. This allowed maximizing margins while minimizing customer confusion navigating siloed providers.
The strategy successfully embedded Coinbase as a reliable starting point for both consumers and corporations to participate in the crypto economy with an element of familiarity granting confidence.
Today the integrated exchange, brokerage, custodial and software offerings furnish a reliable conduit into the promising digital asset frontier – boasting technical stability, security and regulatorystanding necessary for the next 100M users on-ramping.
Also read: Kraken – A Secure Cryptocurrency Exchange
Creating a Coinbase Account
With the exchange background summary complete, let’s get started by creating your own Coinbase account to access industry leading digital asset services:

- Visit Coinbase.com and click sign up
- Enter email, password and accept terms
- Verify email inbox for confirmation link
- Complete identity verification steps (KYC)
- Enable two-factor authentication
With profile created, completing personal identification documentation checks allows lifting initial purchase limits and unlocking full functionality.
Several pointers when initializing account:
- Bookmark legitimate coinbase.com domain
- Create strong 8+ character password
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced security
- Maintain backup two-factor reset codes in secure location
- Carefully scrutinize URLs to avoid phishing attempts
Observing basic security best practices ensures new account remains safely guarded behind Coinbase’s extensive store of cybersecurity perimeter defenses.
Coinbase Login & Account Dashboard
When ready to start accessing your account, visit Coinbase login page and input credentials before approving two-factor login.
You then arrive on the main account dashboard presenting overview of holdings, transaction history, DApps connections, reward points, and convenient shortcuts to key areas:

- Trade – Spot trade 100+ crypto coins and stablecoin pairs
- Convert – Instantly swap between supported crypto assets
- Earn – Passively build portfolio via learn & earn quizzes and staking yields
- NFT – Access and mint rare digital collectibles
- USD Coin – Utilize regulated stablecoin in payments, trading and DeFi
- Card – Spend account crypto via VISA debit
When accessing Coinbase account portal, upholding sound security practices remains vital:
- Ensure legit URL and valid HTTPS certificate
- Carefully validate any emails initiation withdrawals or password resets
- Use strong & unique passwords changed periodically
- Monitor account history for unauthorized transactions
- Contact support promptly regarding suspicious activity
Proper login and access vigilance ensures your holdings remain protected behind competent exchange security and authentication systems.
With access now granted, investors can leverage the full suite of Coinbase products matching unique needs – whether actively trading between market opportunities or strategically buying and holding with big picture conviction.
Now familiar with account creation and login – next lets detail few top-tier exchange offerings and supported assets.
Also read: Gemini Cryptocurrency Exchange
Coinbase Pro for Active Crypto Traders
While standard Coinbase platform provides simple fiat onramp suitable for casual investors, seasoned trading counterpart Coinbase Pro furnishes advanced tools comparable leading exchanges – with lower fees scaled by volume.

Key features include:
- Competitive trading fees starting at 0.5% decreasing with volume
- Robust charts, order book depth indicators, order types
- High liquidity among active trader pairs like BTC-USD, ETH-USD
- Portfolio margin efficiency and collateral borrowing
- Secure asset storage with insurance protections
- Streamlined UI with integrated Coinbase account management
This makes Coinbase Pro appealing for intermediate traders seeking to hone strategy with exposure to core crypto assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum and stablecoins. The identical backend integration with Coinbase custody and capital accounts allows simple asset transfers upon meeting added verification checks to unlock increased functionality demanded by active investor archetypes.
Also read: Binance – The World’s Largest Cryptocurrency Exchange
Buy and Sell Top Cryptocurrencies
The standard Coinbase exchange provides simple and quick gateway to purchase leading crypto assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum using debit card, bank wire transfer or account balance.
To buy crypto on Coinbase:
- Login to Coinbase account
- Select “Buy” option
- Choose crypto, input desired amount in fiat currency and payment method
- Preview buy details and complete order
To sell crypto on Coinbase:
- Within account, click asset balance
- Select “Sell” button and input amount to liquidate
- Choose payout method – PayPal, bank wire, etc
- Preview sale details and complete order
While Coinbase supports over 140 cryptocurrencies – below outlines few major assets and unique elements offered:
Bitcoin (BTC) on Coinbase
Coinbase maintains strong Bitcoin trading activity across platforms as investors access the flagship crypto serving as digitalanalogue to gold – storing value long term outside traditional systems while granting portfolio diversification.
Key features include:
- Seamless purchase using debit card, bank account or wire transfer
- Custodial storage or external/self-custody withdrawal
- Staking mechanisms to earn yield 6% APY
- Robust Coinbase Suite integration
- Asset spending ability via integrated Visa debit card
- Tax documentation for simplified reporting
This makes Coinbase ideal one-stop Bitcoin access point for both newcomers and institutions seeking compliant, reputable channel partner.
Ethereum (ETH) on Coinbase
As the leading smart contract blockchain playing host to majority of DApp development, integrations with Ethereum provide both speculative growth based on expanding utility and yield opportunities by strategically holding the asset supplying collateral across decentralized finance use cases.
Key features include:
- Purchase Ether (ETH) using debit card, wire transfer
- Custodial storage, DeFi yield integrations ~5%
- Growing portfolio of Ethereum-based altcoin assets
- Asset spending ability with Coinbase Visa card
- Tax documentation for simplified reporting
- Dedicated institutional client services team
Coinbase furnishes trusted starting point into broader Ethereum economies beyond purely owning the asset – granting holders seamless interoperability across integrated exchanges, wallets and applications assembled under centralized dashboard.
Also read: Crypto.com
Unique Coinbase Offerings
While reliable trading of bluechip coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum represents the hallmark exchange offering – a growing array of unique auxiliary services provides the prime avenue through which users actively manage daily cryptocurrency activities across various registered apps.
This makes Coinbase prime “crypto dashboard” from which users coordinate connected applications in addition to occasional trading, safely storing assets, or collecting yields based on various risk considerations.
Such unique offerings include:
Coinbase Wallet Browser Extension
Installing the Coinbase Wallet extension allows interacting with over 10,000+ decentralized apps and services while retaining control over keys and assets – combining flexibility of self-custody without relying entirely on seed phrase recovery mechanism in event of hardware failure.