Coinbase · Coinbase User Agreement · View original document ↗

Intellectual Property and User Content License

Low severity Rare · 5 of 325 platforms
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Recent governance activity Coinbase recorded 6 documented changes in the last 30 days.
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This analysis describes what Coinbase's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The clause operationalizes content ownership and usage rights by preserving user IP ownership while authorizing the platform to utilize user-generated content across multiple operational and commercial purposes without ongoing compensation, indefinitely and across transferable entities.

Recent Activity

This document changed recently

High May 15, 2026

The updated terms establish a new arrangement for USDC designated as 'Secured USDC' in connection with the Coinbase One Card. Under the revised language, if you designate USDC in your wallet as Secured USDC, you agree that Coinbase may transfer that amount to a third party designated as the secured party, and you will be restricted from withdrawing or transferring those funds. Additionally, the secured party's instructions to Coinbase regarding those assets take priority over any conflicting instructions you provide. The agreement states that you consent to all such permitted transfers. This arrangement operates independently of amounts owed to Coinbase, meaning Secured USDC will not be debited to satisfy debts you owe to Coinbase.

View change record →
Medium May 2, 2026

The updated terms eliminate language that previously allowed Coinbase to restrict your withdrawals if you designated USDC as Secured USDC and to comply with third-party secured party instructions without your consent. Under the revised agreement, Coinbase will not transfer, loan, or otherwise handle your Supported Digital Assets except as required by law or as you instruct. This means the One Card Secured USDC mechanism is no longer integrated into the core asset protection clause, and users no longer face withdrawal restrictions or loss of instruction authority tied to that designation. If you currently hold Secured USDC under a separate One Card cardholder agreement, that agreement remains in effect but is no longer cross-referenced in the main User Agreement's asset protection section.

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Medium May 1, 2026

The updated terms establish a new exception to the prior prohibition on transferring user digital assets. Previously, Coinbase stated it would not transfer assets except as required by law or per user instruction. The revised language now permits Coinbase to transfer USDC designated as 'Secured USDC' to third parties pursuant to a Coinbase One Card cardholder agreement. Users who elect to use this feature agree they will be restricted from withdrawing or transferring the secured portion, and they consent to Coinbase following instructions from a designated secured party without further user approval, even if those instructions conflict with the user's own orders to Coinbase. The full terms of this arrangement are stated to be in Appendix 4, which is not included in this summary.

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Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users retain ownership of their content but authorize Coinbase to reproduce, modify, distribute, and commercially use that content perpetually and without royalty payments. The sublicensable aspect permits Coinbase to authorize third parties to use the content under the same terms.

How other platforms handle this

Peloton Medium

By submitting or posting User Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such User Content in any and all media or distribu...

Calm Medium

By making any User Content available to Calm, you hereby grant to Calm a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to use, store, publish, translate, reproduce, adapt, copy, modify, create derivative works based upon, publicly display, publicly perform, and distrib...

Headspace Medium

By submitting User Material you hereby grant Headspace an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty free, worldwide license to use, telecast, copy, perform, display, edit, distribute and otherwise exploit the User Material you post on the Products, or any portion thereof, and any ideas, concept...

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
When you share Your Content through the Services, you retain your intellectual property rights in Your Content and you provide us with the following license to use Your Content: by using our Services you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, perpetual, and transferable license to host, publish, display, perform, reproduce, copy, distribute, communicate, modify, reformat, translate, or otherwise use Your Content.

— Excerpt from Coinbase's Coinbase User Agreement

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
ePrivacy Directive
European Union
FCRA
United States Federal
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
GLBA
United States Federal
TCPA
United States Federal
UK GDPR
United Kingdom

Provision details

Document information
Document
Coinbase User Agreement
Entity
Coinbase
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 9, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-000411
Document ID
CA-D-00047
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
3dc307b902ef1098b4f25d2d193ebebf46ef33ac6e1077fba19c28563a37eb5d
Analysis generated
May 9, 2026 19:59 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Coinbase
Document: Coinbase User Agreement
Record ID: CA-P-000411
Captured: 2026-05-09 19:59:08 UTC
SHA-256: 3dc307b902ef1098…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coinbase/coinbase-user-agreement/intellectual-property-and-user-content-license/
Accessed: May 20, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Low
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Built from archived source documents, structured governance mappings, and historical version tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Coinbase's Intellectual Property and User Content License clause do?

The clause operationalizes content ownership and usage rights by preserving user IP ownership while authorizing the platform to utilize user-generated content across multiple operational and commercial purposes without ongoing compensation, indefinitely and across transferable entities.

How does this clause affect you?

Users retain ownership of their content but authorize Coinbase to reproduce, modify, distribute, and commercially use that content perpetually and without royalty payments. The sublicensable aspect permits Coinbase to authorize third parties to use the content under the same terms.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 5 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Coinbase?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Coinbase.