Coinbase · Coinbase User Agreement

Mandatory Individual Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

High severity
Share 𝕏 Share in Share

What it is

You and Coinbase agree to resolve any claims relating to these Terms or our Services through final and binding arbitration on an individual basis, except as set forth under Exceptions to Agreement to Arbitrate below. This includes disputes arising out of or relating to interpretation or application of this 'Mandatory Arbitration Provisions' section, including its enforceability, revocability, or validity. You and Coinbase waive any right to a jury trial. You and Coinbase waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

Why it matters

This clause strips you of your right to sue Coinbase in court and prevents you from joining other harmed customers in a class action — the primary mechanism through which consumers hold large companies accountable for widespread harms.

Consumer impact

Coinbase's User Agreement gives the company broad unilateral powers to suspend accounts, freeze funds, and reverse transactions with limited notice, directly affecting your access to your money and cryptocurrency. In the event of Coinbase's insolvency, cryptocurrency held in your Coinbase account may be treated as Coinbase's property under bankruptcy law, leaving you as an unsecured creditor rather than the outright owner of your assets. You can withdraw your cryptocurrency to a self-custodied hardware or software wallet to avoid platform insolvency risk, and you can opt out of mandatory arbitration by sending written notice to Coinbase within 30 days of first accepting the agreement.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Opt Out of Arbitration
    Within 30 days
    Within 30 days of first accepting Coinbase's User Agreement, send a written notice stating your name, Coinbase account email, and that you are opting out of arbitration. Send to the arbitration opt-out contact specified in Coinbase's User Agreement or via the legal contact in the agreement.

Applicable agencies

  • CFPB
    The CFPB has supervisory authority over arbitration clauses in consumer financial products under Dodd-Frank §1028 and can investigate UDAAP violations in the opt-out mechanism design.
    File a complaint →
  • FTC
    The FTC can investigate whether the mandatory arbitration clause or its opt-out process constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice under FTC Act Section 5.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Coinbase User Agreement
Entity
Coinbase
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 20, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002031
Document ID
CA-D-00047
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
28b08bdc2391062cc0b1b467b0c8cfeb1e19b51011dcce671448d97947da4585
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Coinbase | Document: Coinbase User Agreement | Record: CA-P-002031
Captured: 2026-03-20 06:40:29 UTC | SHA-256: 28b08bdc2391062c…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coinbase/coinbase-user-agreement/mandatory-individual-arbitration-and-class-action-waiver/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other provisions in this document