Coinbase
Qualified Custodian
Established Est. 2012
United States
21Rates Quality Score: 80.0/10
Coinbase, founded 2012, is the largest U.S. cryptocurrency platform with 100+ million users. Offers retail and institutional trading, custody (Coinbase Prime), staking, wallet services, and zero-fee trading via Coinbase One.
Custody Model
ModelHosted Custody
LicensesNYDFS BitLicense, registered MSB with FinCEN, state money transmitter licenses
RegulatoryBSA/AML, OFAC, NYDFS regulations, publicly traded (NASDAQ: COIN)
JurisdictionUnited States (NYDFS-regulated)
Fees & Minimums
Fee StructureCoinbase Prime Custody: 0.04-0.10% annual fee based on AUM. $1M minimum for institutional accounts.
Min Balance$1,000,000 for Prime Custody
WithdrawalsCustom institutional limits
Security
Cold Storage98% cold storage
Insurance$320M insurance policy, FDIC on USD balances
Proof of Reservesfalse
Asset SegregationYes
AuditsAnnual SOC audits, SEC reporting (public company)
Features
API Access Available
Mobile App Yes
Hardware Wallet Not supported
Institutional Available
Integrated Trading Yes
AssetsBTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, DOGE, 200+ digital assets
Frequently Asked Questions About Coinbase
About this analysis
21Rates Editorial TeamBitcoin Financial Research Analysts
Our research team analyses Bitcoin custody providers using proprietary quality scoring, regulatory research, and user reviews. We independently verify custody terms and maintain up-to-date information to help you make informed decisions.
Last verified: July 2026