About Coinbase Commerce
Coinbase is a well-known cryptocurrency exchange that has been operating since 2012. Their founders had a vision that Bitcoin should be easily and securely sent and received by anyone, anywhere.
One step towards realizing this vision, and something many people may not know, is that Coinbase also offers a crypto payment gateway called Coinbase Commerce. This allows businesses to accept payments from customers worldwide, regardless of their location or currency.
In this Coinbase Commerce review, we will explore various aspects of the payment gateway, including its features, benefits, and how businesses can integrate it into their payment systems. Whether you’re a business owner looking to streamline your payment process or a cryptocurrency enthusiast interested in the latest developments in the industry, this review will provide you with valuable insights into Coinbase Commerce.
Overall judgement
Coinbase Commerce Review scores
Transaction fees
Functionalities
Accepted cryptocurrencies
Ease of setup
Customer support
Positives
- Free and easy integration
- Flat and competitive fee of 1%
- Volatility protection
- Safe payment gateway
- Well known brand
Negatives
- Limited amount of accepted cryptocurrencies
- Rated 1.5 out of 5 based on 8000+ reviews
Transaction fees
Coinbase Commerce charges a flat fee of 1% for all transactions processed through their platform, including withdrawal fees. This fee is competitive and similar to what other cryptocurrency payment gateways charge. However, there are some alternative platforms that offer lower fees, which can be as low as 0.5%.
Functionalities
Coinbase offers multiple functionalities. One of the most interesting is their ability to provide the choice for a ‘self-managed’ or a ‘Coinbase-managed’ account. The key differences are mentioned below:
- Self-managed: you will manage your own wallet and private keys. In order to withdraw funds, you will have to link your normal Coinbase account. This type of account can be set-up with only an email address.
- Coinbase-managed: Coinbase will manage your crypto wallet and secure your private keys. Settlement will be automatic and free in either fiat or cryptocurrency itself. You need to register, provide business documents, ID’s and proof of addresses for multiple stakeholders in the company for their compliance review. See all required documents here.
After setting up your desired account type, you can use any of their other functionalities, such as:
- Online crypto payment gateway: accept crypto payments on your website.
- Offline crypto payment gateway (point-of-sale): accept crypto payments in your physical store.
- Invoicing system: easily create and send invoices to your customers.
- Donation widget: accept donations in cryptocurrency
Accepted cryptocurrencies
Coinbase Commerce accepts a total of 13 cryptocurrencies, which is on the low side compared to other payment services. Unfortunately, similar to Crypto.com Pay, BNB and Binance USD (BUSD) are not supported, likely due to their association with Coinbase’s biggest competitor, Binance. Although Coinbase Commerce does support the acceptance of some lesser-known smaller currencies like ApeCoin, Bitcoin Cash and DAI, the lack of support for BNB, BUSD and more of the top 10 cryptocurrencies overall, is slightly disappointing.
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Tether (USDT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- BNB
- Binance USD (BUSD)
- Ripple
- Cardano (ADA)
- Solana (SOL)
Ease of setup
Coinbase Commerce offers a limited range of integration options as they offer only pre–built integrations for Shopify and WooCommerce. These pre-built integrations make the integration process quick and easy, allowing merchants to quickly start accepting payments. For those using other webshop platforms, Coinbase Commerce provides a custom API with detailed documentation to help merchants create a custom connection.
Safety
Coinbase Commerce is one of the safest crypto payment gateways available, as they employ a manual checkout process. This form of payment is widely regarded as the most secure option when dealing with cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, Coinbase is a publicly traded company, listed directly on the stock exchange, which adds another layer of trustworthiness and reliability. Therefore, Coinbase Commerce can be confidently considered a highly safe and secure payment service provider.
Frequently asked questions
Coinbase Commerce is a cryptocurrency payment gateway provided by Coinbase, a well-known and trusted cryptocurrency exchange that has been operating since 2012. It allows businesses to accept payments in various cryptocurrencies, providing a seamless and secure payment solution for their customers.
Yes, Coinbase Commerce is considered a safe and legitimate payment gateway. Coinbase, the parent company, is a highly reputable and regulated cryptocurrency exchange. Coinbase Commerce follows stringent security measures to ensure the safety of transactions and employs a manual checkout process, which is widely regarded as the most secure option when dealing with cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, Coinbase is a publicly traded company, listed directly on the stock exchange, which adds an additional layer of trustworthiness and reliability.
To use Coinbase Commerce, you need to create an account on their website. The integration process is relatively straightforward. Depending on your platform, Coinbase Commerce offers pre-built integrations for popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, making the setup process quick and easy. For other webshop platforms, Coinbase Commerce provides a custom API with detailed documentation to help merchants create a custom connection. By integrating Coinbase Commerce into their websites or physical stores, businesses can start accepting cryptocurrency payments from their customers.
Coinbase Commerce works by providing businesses with a robust payment gateway for accepting cryptocurrency payments. When customers choose to pay with cryptocurrencies supported by Coinbase Commerce, the platform facilitates the transaction process. It securely processes the payment, verifies the transaction, and converts the received cryptocurrency into the desired currency (e.g., fiat currency) for the merchant.
Yes, Coinbase Commerce does require KYC (Know Your Customer). Coinbase Commerce is a service provided by Coinbase, a trusted cryptocurrency exchange, and it adheres to local anti-money laundering regulations as part of its comprehensive financial compliance program. KYC is a fundamental component of these regulations, and it is implemented to verify the identity of users before granting them full access to the services offered by Coinbase Commerce.
During the onboarding process, users will be prompted to provide personal information to undergo the necessary identity verification. This information may include address details, date of birth, and in some cases, the last four digits of the user’s Social Security Number (SSN). Users may also be required to provide additional documentation, such as images of their personal identification (ID) card and proof of address.
The purpose of the KYC process is to ensure compliance with local anti-money laundering laws and prevent fraudulent activities on the platform. By verifying the identity of its users, Coinbase Commerce aims to create a secure environment for businesses to accept payments in cryptocurrencies.
It’s important to note that the KYC requirements may vary based on the user’s country of residence and the specific regulations in place. Coinbase Commerce follows these regulations to maintain the integrity of its platform and provide a safe and reliable payment gateway for businesses.
Coinbase is headquartered in San Francisco, United States.
