Is Coinbase custodial? Who holds your funds?
Yes. Coinbase is custodial: the venue holds your funds on your behalf.
Checked 2026-10-17 · 2 sources- Exchange balances are held by Coinbase. Assets bought with DEX trading sit in the user's self-custody wallet inside the Coinbase app, not with Coinbase.
- With a custodial venue you rely on it to stay solvent and to honour withdrawals.
- We list 3 reported incidents for Coinbase on its legit check.
Sources: Coinbase help - New user incentive and referral program terms · Help Net Security - Coinbase data breach and extortion. The venue's own page wins if it disagrees with ours.
Coinbase
Exchange. Coinbase is a US-listed (Nasdaq: COIN) custodial crypto exchange and broker. Simple buys and sells carry a spread plus a Coinbase fee, Coinbase Advanced is a maker/taker order book, and since 2025 the app has offered DEX trading of onchain Base and Solana tokens through an integrated self-custody wallet.
Full Coinbase sheet: fees, custody, incidents →