Coinbase Country Limits: Where You Can and Can't Use Coinbase in 2025
When you think of buying Bitcoin or trading Ethereum, Coinbase, a major U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange that serves millions globally. Also known as Coinbase Global, it's one of the first platforms most beginners try. But here's the catch: Coinbase country limits mean you can't use it everywhere. Even if you have a credit card and internet access, your location might block you outright. This isn't a technical glitch—it's legal compliance. Coinbase follows strict rules in over 100 countries, but refuses to operate in 30+ others due to licensing, sanctions, or unclear regulations.
Why does this matter? Because if you're in a restricted country, you won't just see a pop-up saying "service unavailable." You might get locked out of your account, frozen funds, or worse—your identity flagged by compliance systems. Countries like Nigeria, Iran, and North Korea are completely blocked. Others, like India and Brazil, allow limited access: you can trade but can't use certain features like staking or fiat on-ramps. Even within the EU, rules vary. MiCA regulation changed how exchanges like Coinbase operate across borders, but it didn't remove all restrictions. Some regions require local licenses Coinbase hasn't applied for, so they just walk away instead of fighting bureaucracy.
Related entities like MiCA regulation, the EU's unified crypto framework that forces exchanges to get a single license to operate across all member states and crypto exchange geography, how regional laws determine where platforms can legally offer services directly shape these limits. You can't ignore them. If you're in a country where Coinbase doesn't work, you're not alone—over 1.2 billion people live in restricted zones. But that doesn't mean you're out of options. Many users turn to peer-to-peer platforms, local exchanges, or decentralized apps. The key is knowing your rights and your restrictions before you sign up.
Below, you'll find real examples of how these limits play out—from users in India trying to use UPI to buy crypto, to those in the EU navigating MiCA's passport system. You'll see which exchanges actually work where, why some platforms vanish overnight, and how to avoid losing money because of a location-based ban. This isn't theoretical. These are the rules that decide whether you can buy crypto today—or if you're stuck waiting for a workaround that might never come.
Coinbase Geographic Crypto Restrictions by Country: What’s Allowed and What’s Blocked
Coinbase restricts fiat services in 63 countries due to legal compliance. Learn where you can buy crypto, where you can't, and how to use Coinbase Wallet safely if you're blocked.
- August 21 2025
- Terri DeLange
- 11 Comments