Coinbase Wallet: keys, security, fees and reviews
Software wallet
In short
- Key control
- Self-custodial: private keys are stored on the user's own device, not with the Coinbase exchange.
- Fees
- Wallet: The operator may charge fees for some services and discloses them at the time of use; DEX and linked Coinbase account fees may apply.
- Risks and caveats
- Losing the recovery phrase or passkeys means losing access to the funds; Coinbase cannot recover them.
- Checked
- 28 October 2026
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Key facts
- Wallet type
- Software wallet
- Who holds the keys
- the user (self-custody)
- Developer
- Coinbase Wallet
- Platforms
- iOS
- Official site
- coinbase.com/wallet
Key facts checked on 28 October 2026 against official sources.
Status
Renamed the Base app in 2025; by September 2026 the app, its website base.app and its terms of service again use the name Coinbase Wallet.
What is Coinbase Wallet
Coinbase Wallet is a self-custodial mobile and web wallet from Coinbase, launched as Toshi in 2017 and renamed Coinbase Wallet on 15 August 2018. It holds crypto across Ethereum-compatible networks, Solana and Bitcoin and now also offers in-app trading of tokens, tokenized stocks, prediction markets and perpetual futures. It is separate from a Coinbase exchange account and does not require one.
Who holds the keys
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Key control | Self-custodial: private keys are stored on the user's own device, not with the Coinbase exchange. |
| Seed phrase | Classic wallets use a 12-word recovery phrase; Coinbase never has access to it and cannot move funds for the user. |
| Account model | Two account types: a classic wallet with a recovery phrase (EOA) or a smart wallet secured by passkeys such as Apple or Google passkeys. |
| Recovery | Optional encrypted backup of the recovery phrase to iCloud or Google Drive, protected by a password only the user knows. |
| Custodian | None for the wallet; the terms state that the operator does not store the recovery phrase or passkeys. |
Features and supported networks
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Mobile app, Chrome browser extension and web access; smart wallets also work at wallet.coinbase.com. |
| Supported networks | Ethereum and EVM networks (Arbitrum, Avalanche, Base, BNB Chain, Optimism, Polygon and custom ones), Solana and Bitcoin; DOGE and LTC in legacy mode. |
| Discontinued assets | Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum Classic, Stellar and XRP were dropped on 20 February 2023. |
| Swaps | In-app DEX swaps on Base, BNB Chain, Ethereum, Avalanche, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum and Solana; limit orders. |
| Other products | Tokenized stocks and commodities, prediction markets and leveraged perpetual futures inside the app; availability varies by region. |
| Buy / sell | Buying and moving funds works by linking a Coinbase account; transfers between the two go on-chain with network fees. |
| AI agents | A non-custodial Wallet MCP lets AI assistants propose transactions that the user must approve one by one. |
Security and audits
- The developer SDK that connects apps to the wallet is open source under the MIT licence; the wallet app itself is not published as open source.
- Coinbase pays rewards for responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities through its bug bounty programme.
- When launched in 2018, private keys were secured with the phone's Secure Enclave and biometric authentication.
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Wallet | The operator may charge fees for some services and discloses them at the time of use; DEX and linked Coinbase account fees may apply. |
| Network fees | Smart wallet transactions on Ethereum cost more gas than classic wallet transactions; apps may sponsor fees. |
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Launched by Coinbase as Toshi, with what Coinbase calls the first mobile dapp browser. |
| 15 August 2018 | Toshi renamed Coinbase Wallet. |
| 20 February 2023 | Support for BCH, ETC, XLM and XRP ended. |
| 2025 | Renamed the Base app; the previous experience became the legacy Coinbase Wallet mode. |
| September 2026 | Terms of service updated on 8 September 2026 under the name Coinbase Wallet; base.app shows the Coinbase Wallet name. |
Risks and caveats
- Losing the recovery phrase or passkeys means losing access to the funds; Coinbase cannot recover them.
- The wallet is a different product from a Coinbase exchange account; assets supported in one may not be supported in the other.
- Assets on dropped networks (BCH, ETC, XLM, XRP) may no longer appear and need another wallet to access.
- USDC rewards are offered only in some regions and are not available in the EU or Canada.
About the developer
- Legal entity
- Coinbase Bermuda Technologies Limited (CBTL) provides the wallet services.
- Parent company
- Part of the Coinbase group, with Coinbase, Inc. and Coinbase Global, Inc. (Delaware corporations).
Official links
- Website: base.app
- Support: help.coinbase.com/en/wallet
- Source code: github.com/coinbase/coinbase-wallet-sdk
- Terms: base.app/terms-of-service
Questions and answers
Is Coinbase Wallet the same as the Base app?
Yes. Coinbase Wallet was renamed the Base app in 2025, and by September 2026 the app and its terms used the Coinbase Wallet name again.
Is Coinbase Wallet self-custodial?
Yes. Private keys stay on the user's device or behind the user's passkeys, and Coinbase has no access to the recovery phrase.
Which networks does Coinbase Wallet support?
Ethereum and other EVM networks such as Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon and BNB Chain, plus Solana and Bitcoin; Dogecoin and Litecoin only in legacy mode.
Is Coinbase Wallet open source?
The developer SDK is open source under the MIT licence; the app itself is not published as open source.
Who makes Coinbase Wallet?
Coinbase. The services are provided by Coinbase Bermuda Technologies Limited, part of the Coinbase group.
Sources
- apps.apple.com
- Coinbase Wallet — homepage (base.app)
- Coinbase Wallet — Terms of Service (8 September 2026)
- Coinbase Wallet — Wallet MCP skill
- Coinbase Help — Base wallets explained (Wayback, 16 October 2025)
- Coinbase Help — Supported assets and networks (Wayback, 31 July 2026)
- Coinbase Help — Wallet recovery phrase (Wayback, 31 July 2026)
- Coinbase Help — Smart wallet (Wayback, 8 November 2025)
- Coinbase Blog — Goodbye Toshi, hello Coinbase Wallet (15 August 2018)
- Coinbase — Security (Wayback, 22 September 2026)
- GitHub — coinbase/coinbase-wallet-sdk
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