Coinbase · Coinbase User Agreement · View original document ↗

Unilateral Amendment Clause

Medium severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Unique · 0 of 343 platforms
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Recent governance activity Coinbase recorded 4 documented changes in the last 30 days.
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Document Record

What it is

Coinbase states it can change the terms of this agreement at any time by posting updated terms online or notifying you. If you continue using Coinbase after changes take effect, the agreement states that you have accepted the new terms.

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 agreement authorizes Coinbase to modify its terms unilaterally, and the agreement states that continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of those changes. This means material changes to fees, data practices, liability limits, or arbitration terms could take effect without requiring affirmative consent.

Interpretive note: Enforceability of continued-use acceptance for material changes, particularly to arbitration terms, may vary by jurisdiction and is subject to evolving court and regulatory interpretation.

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.

View change record →
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.

View change record →

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
3
Months Monitored
May 12, 2026
First Seen
May 20, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 967 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users who do not regularly review the Coinbase User Agreement may be bound by updated terms, including changes to fees, arbitration requirements, or data practices, simply by continuing to use the service after changes are posted. The agreement does not specify a minimum advance notice period for all types of changes.

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.
  • Close Your Account
    If you do not agree to updated terms, you should stop using Coinbase services and close your account through the Help Center before the amendment's effective date to avoid being bound by the new terms.

How other platforms handle this

Udemy Medium

We reserve the right to update these Terms of Service at any time in our sole discretion. If we make changes, we will provide notice of such changes, such as by sending an email notification, providing notice through the Services or updating the 'Last Updated' date at the beginning of these Terms of...

Target Medium

Target reserves the right to change these Terms at any time. We will post notification of changes to these Terms on this page. Your continued use of the Target Services after any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

GitHub Medium

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to amend these Terms of Service at any time and will update these Terms of Service in the event of any such amendments. We will notify our Users of material changes to this Agreement, such as price changes, at least 30 days prior to the change taking eff...

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
We may amend or modify this User Agreement at any time by posting the revised agreement on the Coinbase website and/or providing notice to you. The amended User Agreement shall be effective immediately upon posting or notice, as applicable. Your continued use of Coinbase Services after the effective date of any amendment or modification shall constitute your acceptance of the revised User Agreement.

— Excerpt from Coinbase's Coinbase User Agreement

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Unilateral amendment provisions in consumer financial services agreements may interact with state consumer protection requirements for material change notifications, particularly in states that require affirmative consent for changes to arbitration terms, fee structures, or privacy practices. The FTC's authority over unfair or deceptive practices in commerce may be relevant where changes are made without adequate notice. CFPB supervisory guidance on financial product disclosures may also apply. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The provision's breadth, covering any amendment without a specified minimum notice period, creates compliance monitoring obligations for institutional users and compliance teams who must track changes to the agreement on an ongoing basis. The treatment of continued use as acceptance is standard in online services but may face enforceability challenges for material changes to core terms such as arbitration provisions, where some courts and regulators require affirmative opt-in. JURISDICTION FLAGS: California law has imposed requirements for affirmative consent to certain changes in consumer contracts, particularly those affecting arbitration or dispute resolution terms. The enforceability of the continued-use acceptance mechanism for material changes may vary by state. EU and UK users are subject to separate agreements and consumer protection frameworks that generally require affirmative consent for material contract changes. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Institutional counterparties should establish systematic processes for monitoring Coinbase User Agreement updates and assessing whether material changes require renegotiation or updated risk assessments. Vendor management programs should include Coinbase in periodic contract review cycles triggered by posted amendments. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should implement agreement monitoring workflows that flag Coinbase User Agreement updates and assess their materiality relative to existing compliance frameworks. For any updates to arbitration, liability, or data-sharing terms, legal review should assess whether the continued-use acceptance mechanism is sufficient or whether affirmative consent is required under applicable law.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC's authority over unfair or deceptive practices applies to consumer contract amendment practices, including whether notice of material changes is adequate
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
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
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
TCPA
United States Federal
UK GDPR
United Kingdom
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

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-011446
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-011446
Captured: 2026-05-09 19:59:08 UTC
SHA-256: 3dc307b902ef1098…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coinbase/coinbase-user-agreement/unilateral-amendment-clause/
Accessed: June 29, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Coinbase's Unilateral Amendment Clause clause do?

The agreement authorizes Coinbase to modify its terms unilaterally, and the agreement states that continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of those changes. This means material changes to fees, data practices, liability limits, or arbitration terms could take effect without requiring affirmative consent.

How does this clause affect you?

Users who do not regularly review the Coinbase User Agreement may be bound by updated terms, including changes to fees, arbitration requirements, or data practices, simply by continuing to use the service after changes are posted. The agreement does not specify a minimum advance notice period for all types of changes.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Coinbase?

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