Coinbase Review - The Definitive New Zealand Guide
We review Coinbase, the world's most popular cryptocurrency platform, outlining what services are available in New Zealand, must-know facts about the company and frequently asked questions
Updated 26 April 2021
Warning:
Know This:
Summary
Our guide covers:
- By publishing this guide, we are not recommending or suggesting in any way or form that Coinbase, now listed on the NASDAQ, is a suitable investment.
- We are also not endorsing or recommending the purchase or trade of any cryptocurrency.
- We published and routinely update this guide to help people decide what's best for them - MoneyHub is conservative and our publisher, Christopher Walsh, has zero cryptocurrency investments.
- We present this information in good faith and remain objective at all times. By including this guide under our Investing and Saving section, we are not advocating that cryptocurrency is an investment.
Know This:
- Coinbase is one of the best-known cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges. The company gained a lot of attention in 2021, before its direct listing on the NASDAQ exchange in the US.
- The company is at the forefront of the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency frenzy and is one of the most discussed IPOs to occur since AirBNB. Coinbase has operated with integrity for close to a decade with support from prominent investors. Up to October 2020, the company received a total of US$547.3 million in funding.
- The company was founded by a former Airbnb engineer, Brian Armstrong.
- At present, Coinbase only offers a limited scope of services to New Zealanders. Unlike in Europe and North America, Coinbase does not offer services to buy Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies with national currencies to New Zealand residents, which is one of the company’s major unique selling points.
- In this guide, we’ll explore the services Coinbase offers to New Zealand residents and look at the company from a birds-eye view to help anyone conducting due diligence on the company before buying shares.
Summary
- Coinbase was founded in 2012, initially offering a service to buy or sell Bitcoin via bank transfers or send and receive Bitcoin using a Coinbase account.
- Since launching in the United States, Coinbase has grown to a large multinational corporation employing more than 1,200 people with offices in California, New York, Oregon; United Kingdom, Japan, Ireland; Germany, Philippines and Singapore.
- In 2018, Coinbase launched a stablecoin called USDC; it’s pegged to the US dollar, and as of April 24th 2021, there are more than 11.2 billion in circulation.
- Currently, Coinbase is the third-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and trails behind Binance and Huobi. In 2020, Coinbase trading volume exceeded a notional value of 193 billion US dollars.
- The company is a registered money services business with FinCEN and a licensed electronic money institution under both the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and the Central Bank of Ireland.
- Coinbase only offers crypto-to-crypto exchanges and a hosted wallet to clients in New Zealand.
- The Coinbase Wallet app is available on iOS, Android and from any web browser.
Our guide covers:
Coinbase Services in New Zealand
The scope of services Coinbase provides in New Zealand is limited. You can open a wallet to send and receive supported cryptocurrencies and can perform crypto-to-crypto exchanges.
The Coinbase app is not a typical decentralised cryptocurrency wallet, where you hold the private key. Instead, it is a centralised hosted cryptocurrency wallet that works more like an e-wallet, similar to PayPal, where you have a stored value account. Someone else is the custodian of the funds and executes your instructions to make transfers.
The Coinbase app is not a typical decentralised cryptocurrency wallet, where you hold the private key. Instead, it is a centralised hosted cryptocurrency wallet that works more like an e-wallet, similar to PayPal, where you have a stored value account. Someone else is the custodian of the funds and executes your instructions to make transfers.
Coinbase Wallet
Coinbase offers what’s known as a Hosted Cryptocurrency Wallet Service. The service is essentially a stored value account holding cryptocurrency rather than dollars, pounds or other currencies.
With a Coinbase wallet, you can create unique blockchain addresses, which are aliases assigned to your account for you or others to send cryptocurrencies. Once cryptocurrencies are sent to an address connected to your account, Coinbase will credit them to your wallet. It’s worth noting that you’re sending money to a blockchain wallet controlled by Coinbase. Once your account is funded, you can input external wallet addresses to send payments.
The advantage of using Coinbase over setting up a decentralised private wallet is the usability and well thought out user interface. Setting up a decentralised cryptocurrency wallet presents several challenges and risks, which we will cover in detail in a future guide.
With a Coinbase wallet, you can create unique blockchain addresses, which are aliases assigned to your account for you or others to send cryptocurrencies. Once cryptocurrencies are sent to an address connected to your account, Coinbase will credit them to your wallet. It’s worth noting that you’re sending money to a blockchain wallet controlled by Coinbase. Once your account is funded, you can input external wallet addresses to send payments.
The advantage of using Coinbase over setting up a decentralised private wallet is the usability and well thought out user interface. Setting up a decentralised cryptocurrency wallet presents several challenges and risks, which we will cover in detail in a future guide.
Supported Cryptocurrencies (Wallet)
The Coinbase wallet in New Zealand only supports cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets. You cannot store any legal tender on an account with Coinbase. All the most popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash are supported. What’s more, dozens of altcoins are also supported.
Supported crypto assets: 1INCH, AAVE, ADA, ALGO, ANKR, ATOM, BAND, BAT, BCH, BNT, BT, CGLD, COMP, CRV, CVC, DAI, DASH, DNT, ENJ, EOS, ETC, ETH, FORTH, FIL, GRT, KNC, LINK, LRC, LTC, MANA, MATIC, MKR, NMR, NKN, NU, OGN, OMG, OXT, REP, SUSHI, SKL, SNX, STORJ, USDC, UMA, UNI, WBTC, XLM, XRP, XTZ, YFI, ZEC and ZRX.
Supported crypto assets: 1INCH, AAVE, ADA, ALGO, ANKR, ATOM, BAND, BAT, BCH, BNT, BT, CGLD, COMP, CRV, CVC, DAI, DASH, DNT, ENJ, EOS, ETC, ETH, FORTH, FIL, GRT, KNC, LINK, LRC, LTC, MANA, MATIC, MKR, NMR, NKN, NU, OGN, OMG, OXT, REP, SUSHI, SKL, SNX, STORJ, USDC, UMA, UNI, WBTC, XLM, XRP, XTZ, YFI, ZEC and ZRX.
Transaction Fees (Wallet)
When sending blockchain transactions, you can pay a voluntary fee to compensate the miners that process your transaction. Miners naturally prioritise mining transactions paying higher network fees. As congestion increases, people transferring cryptocurrencies will begin outbidding each other to ensure their transaction is prioritised on time.
Coinbase uses an algorithm to calculate the optimal network fee. When you make a transaction from the Coinbase wallet, you’ll pay the amount the algorithm considers optimal based on current conditions.
It’s worth noting that Coinbase groups clients transactions and ultimately reduces the average price, often resulting in a profit margin between what they charged clients versus what they actually paid for the bulk transaction.
Coinbase uses an algorithm to calculate the optimal network fee. When you make a transaction from the Coinbase wallet, you’ll pay the amount the algorithm considers optimal based on current conditions.
It’s worth noting that Coinbase groups clients transactions and ultimately reduces the average price, often resulting in a profit margin between what they charged clients versus what they actually paid for the bulk transaction.
Supported Cryptocurrencies (Exchange)
The Coinbase wallet app allows you to convert any cryptocurrencies you already own into another supported cryptocurrency. For example, you can convert Bitcoin into Litecoin and vice versa. You can find the complete list of cryptocurrency trading pairs available in New Zealand on the Coinbase website.
Transaction Fees (Exchange)
Coinbase charges a 2.0% fee on all cryptocurrency exchange transactions.
USD Coin - Undestanding What it is and its Purpose
- USD Coin, or USDC, is a stablecoin, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar. It’s similar to e-money, except it can be transferred between exchanges and wallets just like any other cryptocurrency but can be redeemed at a one-for-one rate against the US dollar.
- The number of USDC issued is backed by an equivalent amount of dollars held in reserve and used by accounting and auditing company Grant Thornton.
- Although you cannot buy USD Coin, you can get it by exchanging other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. The advantage of using a stablecoin such as USDC is that they are not exposed to price volatility while you can keep funds in a cryptocurrency environment.
- USD Coin can be traded on other exchanges like Binance, OKEX and CoinEx. Visa recently said it would begin supporting USDC to settle transactions on its payment network.
Keeping Crypto Assets on Coinbase
The company has a good track record when it comes to security. However, it’s a centralised exchange and a large target for hackers. After all, Coinbase is sitting on US$223 billion worth of crypto assets. At the end of Q1 2021, the entire market cap of all cryptocurrencies was US$1.825 trillion, meaning Coinbase was safeguarding 12.2% of all cryptocurrencies.
Deciding whether you should store your crypto assets on Coinbase depends on your circumstances, for example:
As a general rule, it’s generally not recommended to keep your assets on a cryptocurrency exchange due to the risk of hacks. Cryptopia in New Zealand is a recent example of how things can go wrong very quickly. However, Coinbase has never been hacked and is a mature company spending hundreds of millions a year on software engineering. Blockchain wallets can be complicated to manage, especially for new users which makes Coinbase a more popular choice for anyone getting into crypto.
Deciding whether you should store your crypto assets on Coinbase depends on your circumstances, for example:
- How confident are you with setting up your own blockchain wallet?
- How often do you make transactions, and could you benefit from the user-friendly interface?
- Is the value of your crypto assets significant?
As a general rule, it’s generally not recommended to keep your assets on a cryptocurrency exchange due to the risk of hacks. Cryptopia in New Zealand is a recent example of how things can go wrong very quickly. However, Coinbase has never been hacked and is a mature company spending hundreds of millions a year on software engineering. Blockchain wallets can be complicated to manage, especially for new users which makes Coinbase a more popular choice for anyone getting into crypto.
Coinbase's Global Services
In the US, Canada, UK and Europe, Coinbase provides a range of services revolving around cryptocurrencies. We won’t go into too much detail about products that aren’t available in New Zealand. Still, it’s worth knowing the activities the company engages in, particularly if you’re reading this guide as a potential investor in the recently listed company.
- Coinbase is an e-wallet style app for buying and selling cryptocurrencies via credit/debit card, bank transfer or PayPal. Features and payment methods vary according to country. For example, you can buy and sell in Canada, whereas you can only sell in Mexico.
- Coinbase Pro is an advanced trading platform with interactive charts, order books and various order types. The platform was formerly known as Global Digital Asset Exchange (GDAX) and previously Coinbase Exchange.
- Coinbase Commerce is a payment gateway for online merchants to accept cryptocurrencies with integration with Shopify and WooCommerce. Merchants can immediately convert payments to USDC or a national currency.
- Coinbase Prime is an institutional trading service for institutions to access liquidity and place over-the-counter high-value orders.
- Coinbase Custody is a custodian for institutions with significant crypto-asset holding to safeguard their assets with a professional blockchain company.
- Coinbase Card is a prepaid Visa debit card linked to a Coinbase account. When a cardholder makes a payment, the equivalent amount of cryptocurrency will be deducted from their wallet.
Coinbase Initial Public Offering
Coinbase, already a household name in the cryptocurrency community, gained major attention in 2021. The company announced plans to take the company public on the back of solid performance in the previous year. In January 2021, the company announced a direct listing of its Class A common stock with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
On the 14th of April 2021, Coinbase listed on the Nasqad exchange with the ticker symbol $COIN. Ahead of the listing, the reference price was US$250 per share. However, $COIN shares began trading at 13:25 NY time for US$381 and rose to an intraday high of US$429 before retreating steadily. On Friday the 23rd of April, shares closed at US$291.84, giving the company a market cap of US$58 billion.
Direct listing vs initial public offering
On the 14th of April 2021, Coinbase listed on the Nasqad exchange with the ticker symbol $COIN. Ahead of the listing, the reference price was US$250 per share. However, $COIN shares began trading at 13:25 NY time for US$381 and rose to an intraday high of US$429 before retreating steadily. On Friday the 23rd of April, shares closed at US$291.84, giving the company a market cap of US$58 billion.
Direct listing vs initial public offering
- Coinbase took the company public via a direct listing, rather than the traditional initial public offering (IPO) approach. A direct listing is an uncommon method used to take a company public but has some advantages as it has less structure than the conventional IPO strategy.
- With a direct listing, a stock is listed on an exchange, and the company and its existing shareholders can sell shares directly. Whereas an IPO involves a complex process of issuing new shares, cooperating with underwriters and investment banks who sell shares to dealers, market makers and long-term investors with lock-up obligations.
- The structured approach to an IPO improves price stability, whereas a direct listing is something of a free-for-all and can experience volatile conditions.
- Coinbase fundamentalsThere is a lot we can learn about Coinbase from the Form S-1 filed with the SEC and the company’s first-quarter of 2021 estimated results. As we can see from the table below, Coinbase had an outstanding first quarter of 2021, and the company was able to publish estimated results days before listing its shares on Nasdaq.
Reporting period |
Q1 2021 |
FY 2020 |
FY 2019 |
Verified users |
56 million |
43 million |
32 million |
Monthly transacting users |
6.1 million |
2.8 million |
1.0 million |
Assets on platform |
US$223 billion |
US$90 billion |
US$17 billion |
Trading volume |
US$335 billion |
US$193 billion |
US$80 billion |
Revenue |
US$1.8 billion |
US$1.1 billion |
US$483 million |
Net income |
US$730 million |
US$322 million |
-US$30 million |
Although Coinbase has experienced an outstanding first quarter, it benefited from the recent bull market throwing crypto into the limelight and the buzz about going public. Coinbase is a common starting point for new traders, and revenues are highly dependent on retail trading activity; just as quickly as interest can grow, it can fall just as quick.
Coinbase has been criticised for its high fees compared to competing exchanges. There is something to be said about the high overheads associated with compliance, regulation and being under the constant scrutiny of banks and financial institutions who arbitrarily close accounts, delay payments, and suspend access to payment networks whenever they feel the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing is present.
Coinbase has been criticised for its high fees compared to competing exchanges. There is something to be said about the high overheads associated with compliance, regulation and being under the constant scrutiny of banks and financial institutions who arbitrarily close accounts, delay payments, and suspend access to payment networks whenever they feel the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing is present.
Frequently Asked Questions about Coinbase in New Zealand
Coinbase probably won't be useful to the average New Zealander, but our FAQs below outline must-know facts and considerations.
Can I buy Bitcoin from Coinbase?
No. Coinbase does not offer the ability to buy or sell any cryptocurrencies for clients registered in New Zealand. If you want to buy Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, we recommend reading the following guides:
Where can I buy shares in Coinbase?
If you’ve decided Coinbase is a good addition to your portfolio, you can buy shares in the company from popular New Zealand share platforms such as Hatch, Sharesies or Stake.
Is Coinbase regulated in New Zealand?
No. Coinbase is not registered with the Financial Services Provider Register, nor is the company licensed or authorised to provide any financial services.
Do I need to verify my identity to use Coinbase Wallet?
Not necessarily. Coinbase uses a multi-level system to collect and verify the information of users. To open a Coinbase account, the minimum you’ll need to provide an email address and mobile phone number, both of which will be verified by sending a one-time password.
As the Coinbase Wallet service provided to New Zealand is not a licensed activity, there is no legislation requiring the company to perform know-your-client checks. However, the company most likely wants to maintain level standards worldwide.
As the Coinbase Wallet service provided to New Zealand is not a licensed activity, there is no legislation requiring the company to perform know-your-client checks. However, the company most likely wants to maintain level standards worldwide.
Why does Coinbase have such a low score on Trustpilot?
If you’ve seen the Coinbase Trustpilot profile, you’d be surprised to see the company has such a low ranking. Unfortunately, most of these reviews are fake, posted by people looking to generate leads for affiliates or scammers. This behaviour plagues Trustpilot in the finance reviews segment.
Has Coinbase ever been hacked?
Coinbase has never been hacked directly. Direct hacks are when cybercriminals breach an organisation’s core infrastructure to extract sensitive data, such as personal information, transaction history, and the digital asset industry, private keys to blockchain wallets. Due to the high level of trust the Coinbase brand has, it’s a frequent target for phishing attacks where perpetrators imitate the company and try to obtain customers data through deception.
Can I sell Bitcoin using Coinbase?
No, not from New Zealand. Coinbase does not process any fiat currencies (legal tender); you can only receive, exchange and send crypto assets using Coinbase in New Zealand.
Can I open an account with Coinbase in Australia?
No, that wouldn’t work. One of the terms and conditions you agree to when opening an account with Coinbase is to provide truthful and accurate information. If you reach a point when you need to verify your identity, you might face termination for being deceitful in your initial application. It’s also worth noting the Coinbase service provided to Australiana only offers the ability to buy cryptocurrencies using credit or debit card. Australian’s cannot sell cryptocurrencies for fiat.
