Coinbase review
- Fiat currencies
- 1
- Supported assets
- 288
Our verdict
Coinbase is a reputable, secure and very user-friendly crypto exchange, but watch out for high trading fees.
Coinbase is one of the world’s largest and best-known crypto exchanges. It’s regulated in Canada, provides an extremely user-friendly trading platform, and can be used to trade over 200cryptocurrencies. Coinbase makes it simple for crypto newcomers to start trading, while it also offers an advanced trading platform for experienced crypto enthusiasts.
But its standard trading fees are quite high. So if low fees are a priority for you when choosing an exchange, consider other options.
Best for: Beginners looking for a user-friendly crypto exchange.
Pros
-
User-friendly platform
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Trade over 200 cryptos
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Established and regulated exchange
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Highly rated mobile app
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Features to suit beginners as well as advanced users
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Supports recurring purchases
Cons
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High fees (lower with Coinbase Advanced)
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Staking commissions of up to 35%
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$30 wire transfer deposit fee
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Some major cryptos not supported
Details
Product details
| Product Name | Coinbase |
| Fiat Currencies | CAD |
| Cryptocurrencies | BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, DOT, LTC and 280+ more |
| Deposit Methods |
Debit card Electronic Funds Transfer Interac e-Transfer PayPal |
| Trading Fee | Maker fee: 0% and 0.4% Taker fee: 0.05% - 0.6% |
| Deposit Fees |
Interac e-Transfer: free Transfers from another Coinbase account: free EFT: variable |
| Withdrawal Fees |
Interac e-Transfer / EFT / PayPal: variable Transfers to another Coinbase account: free |
What is Coinbase?
Founded in 2012, Coinbase is one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges. This US-based platform offers crypto trading in over 100 countries around the world (including Canada), and it has an annual trading volume of US$1.2 trillion.
For Canadian users, Coinbase provides access to over 200 cryptocurrencies. You can deposit funds to your account using convenient payment methods like e-Transfers and PayPal, and it’s quick and easy to trade online or via a highly rated mobile app.
Coinbase features
Coinbase offers the following features to Canadian users:
- Trade 200+ cryptos. You can trade over 200 crypto assets on Coinbase, including buying crypto directly with CAD.
- User-friendly platform. Coinbase’s clean and intuitive user interface makes it quick and easy to start trading crypto, even if you’re a complete beginner.
- Staking. Individual users can stake 9 cryptos with Coinbase, allowing you to put your crypto holdings to work for you.
- USDC rewards. Hold USDC on crypto and you automatically earn rewards at a rate of 3.50%, with earnings paid weekly.
- Educational resources. Coinbase Learn provides access to a host of educational tools and resources for crypto newcomers, including explainers, glossaries and video tutorials.
- Coinbase Advanced. Experienced traders can switch over to Coinbase Advanced, which offers customization options and professional features like advanced charting tools. Coinbase Advanced users can also access lower fees.
- Coinbase One. An optional Coinbase One subscription, available for $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year, allows you to access zero trading fees on trades up to a total of $500/month. Other perks include boosted staking rewards and 24/7 priority support.
- Coinbase Prime. Prime is Coinbase’s institutional-grade platform, offering crypto trading, custody and financing services for hedge funds and corporations.
What cryptos can I trade on Coinbase?
Coinbase supports over 200 cryptos, including plenty of major cryptos and altcoins. But of the top 20 coins and tokens by market cap, Coinbase only supports some of them:
Popular crypto assets on Coinbase
- BTC
- ETH
- ADA
- SOL
- DOT
- LTC
- 280+ more
Popular assets Coinbase does NOT support
- BNB
- TRX
Coinbase also allows individuals to stake 9 cryptos:
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Solana (SOL)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Cosmos (ATOM)
- Avalanche (AVAX)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Tezos (XTZ)
- Polygon (POL)
- Coinbase Wrapped Staked ETH (cbETH)
Coinbase fees
Coinbase’s fee structure for simple buy and sell transactions is complicated and difficult to understand. There is no single flat fee across all trades, and the fee you pay varies depending on the payment method you choose, the size of your order, market conditions, the cryptocurrency you buy or sell and Coinbase’s spread.
If you’re searching for low-fee crypto trades, it’s well worth shopping around to see if other exchanges offer cheaper fees.
Fees are lower and also easier to understand if you use Coinbase Advanced, where maker fees range from 0.0% - 0.4% and taker fees from 0.05% and 0.6%.
Other key fees to be aware of include a commission of up to 35% of staking rewards on the platform, and a $30 deposit fee that applies to wire transfers of less than $10,000.
Coinbase fee example
Coinbase payment methods
Check out the table below for details of the payment methods Coinbase supports in Canada.
| Payment method | Buy | Sell | Add cash | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interac e-Transfer | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Up to 5 minutes |
| Electronic funds transfer | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Instant |
| 3D Secure card | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Instant |
| Wire transfer | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | 1-3 business days |
| PayPal | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Instant |
How do I withdraw money from Coinbase?
There are three ways to withdraw money from your Coinbase account:
- Interac e-Transfer
- Electronic funds transfer
- PayPal
You can also withdraw crypto to an external wallet.
Pros and cons of Coinbase
Pros
- Established and reputable platform. Coinbase was founded in 2012, is regulated in Canada and is one of the world's largest crypto platforms.
- Beginner-friendly. Coinbase offers slick online and mobile user interfaces, making it quick and easy for new users to break into the world of crypto.
- Coinbase Advanced. Experienced users will appreciate the Coinbase Advanced platform, which offers features like real-time order books across 550+ markets, TradingView charts, technical indicators and more.
- Trade 200+ cryptos. You can use Coinbase to buy and sell hundreds of cryptos.
- Wide range of payment methods. From e-Transfers and EFTs to debit cards and PayPal, Coinbase supports a variety of convenient deposit methods.
Cons
- High fees. While Coinbase Advanced has lower fees, the commissions for standard Coinbase buy and sell transactions are quite high.
- Staking commissions. You could pay a commission of up to 35% on your Coinbase staking rewards.
- Wire transfer deposit fee. Wire transfers of less than $10,000 incur a $30 deposit fee.
- Some cryptos not supported. 9 of the world's largest cryptocurrencies in terms of market cap are not available on Coinbase.
Coinbase mobile app
The Coinbase mobile app is highly rated among Android and iOS users. It offers a streamlined, user-friendly interface that makes it easy to perform tasks like:
- Check your portfolio balance
- Buy, sell and stake crypto
- Transfer crypto
- Set up recurring buys
- Access advanced trading tools and charts
In 2025, Coinbase launched a separate app known as the Base App. Replacing Coinbase Wallet, Base is an on-chain wallet that provides access to DeFi protocols and crypto storage. It also offers USDC payments, social trading features, real-time price charts, crypto swaps and more.
Is Coinbase legal in Canada?
Yes, Coinbase is legal in Canada.
It is registered as a Restricted Dealer in all provinces and territories of Canada. It is also registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) as a Money Services Business.
You can find Coinbase Canada on the Canadian Securities Administrators’ list of crypto platforms authorized to do business with Canadians.
Is Coinbase safe to use?
Coinbase is a legit, reputable crypto platform and an S&P 500-listed company. It has a wide range of security features in place to help safeguard your funds.
It holds around 98% of customer assets in cold storage, while mandatory two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security. Data encryption helps keep your sensitive details safe, while multi-approval withdrawals from Coinbase Vault provide added peace of mind. Coinbase also runs a Bug Bounty program to help detect any weaknesses in its systems, and users get the peace of mind of dealing with one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges.
However, Coinbase did make headlines in May 2025 when it announced that it had fallen victim to a cyber attack. Hackers bribed Coinbase contractors to steal customer data, which they then used to impersonate Coinbase and target unsuspecting customers.
Coinbase said the hackers gained access to less than 1% of customer data, and then demanded a ransom of US$20 million from Coinbase to keep the attack quiet. But Coinbase refused to pay the ransom and instead established a US$20 million reward fund in a bid to identify and catch the criminals involved.
What do Coinbase reviews have to say?
User reviews for Coinbase are generally quite positive. Its app is highly rated across the App Store and Google Play for its user-friendliness, and Trustpilot reviewers praise Coinbase for being secure, easy to use and offering fast transactions.
However, 45% of Coinbase reviews on Trustpilot are 1-star reviews, with the platform sometimes criticized for users being unable to access their account, providing poor customer service and having high fees.
| Site | Details |
|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4/5 stars based on 22,143+ reviews |
| Apple App Store | 4.6/5 stars based on 65,000 million+ reviews |
| Google Play | 4.4/5 stars based on 925,000+ reviews |
* Reviews last verified on 21 May 2026
How to buy crypto on Coinbase
When you’re ready to place your first buy order, here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: Create an account
You’ll need to provide your name, personal information and contact details to create an account. Photo ID will also be required to verify your identity.
Step 2: Make a deposit
Choose your deposit method and add funds to your account. You can buy instantly with PayPal or a supported card, or add funds via e-Transfer, EFT or wire transfer.
Step 3: Buy crypto
Log in to your account and click “Buy/Sell”. Select the crypto you want to buy and enter the amount of CAD you want to spend. Review all details, including the full cost of the transaction, before confirming your purchase.
Alternatives to Coinbase
Not sure if Kraken is right for you? Compare Coinbase with other crypto exchanges in Canada in the table below:
Finder Score for crypto exchanges
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Supported coins, account fees and features across 28 cryptocurrency trading platforms are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score, the better the exchange—simple.
Bottom line
If finding the lowest trading fees is your top priority when choosing a crypto exchange, Coinbase might not be right for you. But if you want a user-friendly platform and app, access to a wide range of cryptos, and features to suit beginners as well as more experienced traders—well, Coinbase offers a solid all-around package. Compare it to a range of other exchanges before deciding if it’s right for you.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Your reviews
Tim Finder
Writer
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