When it comes to buying Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, there is no shortage of options. One of the most popular options is Coinbase. Coinbase is a digital asset exchange company founded in 2012. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Coinbase allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, as well as store them in a wallet on the site. You can also use Coinbase to buy goods and services with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
Coinbase has been incredibly successful since its launch. It now has over 20 million users and has processed over $50 billion in transactions. In 2017, Coinbase was the most downloaded iPhone app in the US. The company has also been expanding its services beyond just buying and selling cryptocurrencies.
In 2018, Coinbase launched its own cryptocurrency exchange called Coinbase Pro. Coinbase Pro is aimed at more experienced traders and offers features like margin trading and advanced charting tools.
Coinbase has also been working on making it easier for people to use cryptocurrencies in their everyday lives. In 2018, Coinbase launched a new service called Coinbase Commerce that allows merchants to accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash as payment for goods and services.
This is a big step forward in making cryptocurrencies more mainstream and accessible to people all over the world.
Coinbase has faced its fair share of criticism over the years. One of the biggest criticisms is that Coinbase has been slow to add new cryptocurrencies to its platform.
For example, Ripple (XRP) is one of the biggest cryptocurrencies by market cap but it is not available to buy or sell on Coinbase. This has led some people to accuse Coinbase of being too centralized and not giving users enough choice when it comes to buying and selling cryptocurrencies.
Another criticism of Coinbase is that it has been slow to add new features that would make it more attractive to serious traders. For example, until recently Coinbase did not offer margin trading or advanced charting tools on its platform.
This made it less appealing to serious traders who were looking for a more comprehensive trading experience.
Despite these criticisms, Coinbase remains one of the most popular ways to buy and sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It is one of the most user-friendly exchanges available and continues to add new features that make it more accessible to new users.
While there are certainly some areas where Coinbase could improve, it remains a good option for those looking to get started in the world of cryptocurrency trading.