Coinbase · Coinbase User Agreement

Unilateral Modification of Terms

Medium severity
Share 𝕏 Share in Share

What it is

We may make changes to these Terms at any time. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide you with notice of any changes by posting the revised Terms on our website and by notifying you via email or your Coinbase Account. Your continued use of the Coinbase Services after such notice constitutes your agreement to the revised Terms.

Why it matters

Coinbase can change fees, data practices, arbitration terms, or other material provisions with only email notice — and your continued use of the platform is treated as acceptance even if you didn't read the new terms.

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.
  • Close Your Account
    If you disagree with updated terms, withdraw your cryptocurrency to a personal wallet and then close your Coinbase account through the account settings or by contacting Coinbase support before continued use of the service constitutes your acceptance of the new terms.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC can investigate whether the change-in-terms mechanism constitutes a deceptive practice under Section 5 if material changes are not adequately disclosed.
    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-002035
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-002035
Captured: 2026-03-20 06:40:29 UTC | SHA-256: 28b08bdc2391062c…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coinbase/coinbase-user-agreement/unilateral-modification-of-terms/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other provisions in this document