Coinbase Geographic Crypto Restrictions by Country: What’s Allowed and What’s Blocked

Why Coinbase Blocks Access in Some Countries

If you’ve tried signing up for Coinbase and got a message saying your country isn’t supported, you’re not alone. Millions of people around the world face the same issue. The reason isn’t random-it’s legal. Coinbase doesn’t pick which countries to serve based on popularity or demand. It follows strict rules set by governments and financial regulators, especially in the U.S. and Europe.

As a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: COIN), Coinbase must comply with U.S. Treasury rules like OFAC sanctions. That means if a country is on the sanctions list-like Russia, Iran, Syria, or North Korea-Coinbase can’t offer any services there, not even a wallet. Even if you have a valid ID and a bank account, your location is checked through your IP address and government-issued documents. If it doesn’t match, your account gets blocked or shut down.

But here’s the twist: Coinbase Wallet works differently than the main Coinbase app. The Wallet lets you store and send crypto anywhere in the world-except those same sanctioned countries. You can connect to DeFi apps, trade tokens, and use dApps. But you can’t buy crypto with a credit card or bank transfer. That’s only available through the Coinbase app, and that’s where the real restrictions kick in.

Where You Can Use Coinbase’s Full Features

Right now, you can deposit and withdraw fiat money (like USD, EUR, GBP) using the Coinbase app in 48 countries. That includes the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Australia, Japan, and Singapore. These are all places with clear, stable crypto regulations that Coinbase has spent years getting licensed for.

In the U.S., Coinbase is registered as a money transmitter in all 50 states and works directly with banks for ACH transfers. In Europe, it’s fully licensed under MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets), the new EU crypto law that came into effect in 2025. That’s why users in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain can deposit €10,000 via SEPA in under two hours.

Transaction limits vary by verification level. Unverified users can only send $500 per day. Fully verified users with ID and proof of address can send up to $50,000 daily. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal are supported in most of these countries. But even within supported regions, some features are limited. For example, Cardano (ADA) staking isn’t available in 12 EU countries due to MiCA’s transitional rules.

Where Coinbase Doesn’t Work-And Why

There are 63 countries where you can’t use Coinbase’s fiat services at all. That includes places like Pakistan, the Philippines, Nigeria, Egypt, and the UAE. In Pakistan, for example, over 200,000 people trade crypto daily on Binance P2P. But on Coinbase, you can only download the Wallet app. No bank transfers. No debit cards. No PayPal. Users there report paying up to 8% extra fees on peer-to-peer platforms just to buy Bitcoin.

The Philippines is another big one. Over 80% of crypto users there want to buy crypto with pesos. But Coinbase doesn’t support local banks or payment methods. Instead, users turn to local exchanges like PDAX, which charge 3.5% per trade-seven times higher than Coinbase’s 0.5% fee.

Even in places like the UAE, where crypto is technically legal, Coinbase only allows Apple Pay deposits. Bank transfers are blocked. Why? Because the UAE doesn’t have a formal licensing agreement with Coinbase’s legal entity. So they offer a partial service-just enough to avoid legal risk, but not enough to be useful for most people.

Russia is completely cut off. Since February 2022, no fiat services have been available. Even if you’re a Russian citizen living abroad, if your ID shows a Russian address, you’re blocked. Same for Crimea, which is permanently excluded under U.S. sanctions.

Wallet vs App: The Hidden Difference

Many users don’t realize there are two different products. The Coinbase App is a custodial exchange. That means Coinbase holds your crypto for you. It’s built for buying, selling, and trading with real money. It’s regulated, secure, and fast-but only in approved countries.

The Coinbase Wallet is non-custodial. You control your keys. It’s a browser extension and mobile app that connects to Ethereum-based networks. It supports over 5,500 tokens and works in 190+ countries. But you can’t buy crypto with a credit card. You have to transfer crypto from another exchange or wallet first.

If you’re in India, you can’t use the Coinbase App. The Reserve Bank of India hasn’t approved it, and Coinbase hasn’t completed registration. But you can install the Wallet and connect it to Uniswap or Aave. You just need to send Bitcoin or Ethereum from Binance or Kraken first.

This split lets Coinbase serve users in restrictive markets without breaking the law. But it also creates confusion. People think if the Wallet works, the App should too. It doesn’t. And trying to bypass it with a VPN can get your account permanently closed.

What Happens If You Use a VPN

Some users try to get around restrictions by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). They change their IP address to look like they’re in the U.S. or Germany. It seems like a simple fix. But it’s a big risk.

Coinbase’s system checks multiple signals: IP address, device fingerprint, bank account details, government ID, and even typing patterns. If any of them don’t match, the system flags it. In March 2025, a user in the UAE lost $2,300 after using a VPN to access the App. Their account was frozen, then permanently terminated. No appeal. No refund.

Even if you don’t get caught right away, Coinbase can retroactively close accounts if they later discover location fraud. The User Agreement clearly states that using the service from an unsupported country is a violation. And they don’t need to prove you meant to cheat-they just need to prove you did it.

There’s no gray area here. If you’re in a restricted country, don’t try to trick the system. You’re not saving money-you’re risking your funds.

How Coinbase Compares to Other Exchanges

Compared to other exchanges, Coinbase is one of the most restricted. Kraken operates in 190+ countries with fiat access in 55. Binance offers fiat services in over 100 countries, including Pakistan and Nigeria, even if those markets are legally shaky.

But Coinbase’s restrictions come with a trade-off: safety and legitimacy. In the U.S., Coinbase holds 56% of the retail crypto market because it’s the only major exchange registered with the SEC. If you’re in Germany, it’s the only one with full BaFin approval. That’s why banks and financial institutions trust it.

Decentralized wallets like MetaMask have no geographic limits. You can use them anywhere. But they don’t let you buy crypto with a credit card. You need to already have crypto. That’s why many users start on Binance or Kraken, then move funds to MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet for long-term storage.

So if you’re looking for convenience and low fees, Coinbase is great-if you’re in the right country. If you’re not, you’ll need to use another platform to buy, then move your crypto to Coinbase Wallet for safekeeping.

What’s Changing in 2025 and Beyond

Regulations are shifting fast. MiCA in Europe is now live, which means Coinbase had to split its European operations. Users in Malta, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Hungary now deal with Coinbase Luxembourg S.A. instead of Coinbase Europe Limited. That’s a technical change, but it affects how support works and which rules apply.

In India, Coinbase is still trying to get registered with the RBI. If they succeed, they might launch fiat services in 2025. But if they fail, the block stays. Same in Nigeria and Egypt-both added to the restricted list in early 2025 after new crypto laws were passed.

Meanwhile, the SEC lawsuit against Coinbase is still ongoing. If the court rules that Coinbase’s crypto tokens are securities, it could force even more restrictions. The company has $6.2 billion in regulatory reserves to handle this, but it’s not infinite.

Some experts warn that this patchwork of country-by-country access could shrink Coinbase’s market by 40% by 2030. Others say it’s the only way to survive in a world where governments are cracking down on unregulated finance.

What You Can Do If You’re Blocked

If you’re in a country where Coinbase doesn’t offer fiat services, here’s what actually works:

1. Download Coinbase Wallet-it’s free and works almost everywhere.
2. Use another exchange (like Binance, Kraken, or a local one) to buy crypto with your local payment method.
3. Send that crypto to your Coinbase Wallet address.
4. Use the Wallet to stake, swap, or hold your assets safely.

You won’t get the convenience of buying crypto with your debit card, but you’ll still have full control over your money. And you won’t risk losing your account.

Check Coinbase’s official Country Restrictions Page for the latest list. It’s updated every month. Don’t rely on Reddit or forums-they’re often outdated.