Coinbase Restrictions: What You Can and Can't Do on the Exchange

When you use Coinbase restrictions, the rules and limits imposed by Coinbase on user accounts, transactions, and geographic access. Also known as Coinbase account limits, it's not about punishing users—it's about following global financial laws. If your account got locked, your withdrawal capped, or you can’t sign up at all, it’s not random. It’s compliance. Coinbase, like every major U.S.-based exchange, has to follow rules from FinCEN, OFAC, and state regulators. That means they can’t let just anyone trade, deposit, or withdraw without proving who they are and where they’re from.

These restrictions show up in different ways. Coinbase banned countries, nations where Coinbase doesn’t offer services due to legal risk or sanctions. Also known as restricted jurisdictions, it includes places like Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Cuba—countries under U.S. sanctions. Even if you’re a citizen living abroad, if your address flags as one of these, you’re blocked. Then there’s Coinbase verification, the process of proving your identity with government ID, selfie, and sometimes proof of address. Also known as KYC checks, it’s mandatory for most features. Skip it, and you’re stuck with basic trading limits or no access at all. Some users get hit with Coinbase account limits, daily or monthly caps on deposits, withdrawals, or crypto purchases. Also known as transaction thresholds, these aren’t arbitrary. They’re based on your verification level, trading history, and risk profile. A new user might only be able to buy $100 worth of Bitcoin per day. Someone with full verification might move $10,000. But even then, sudden large transfers can trigger manual reviews—and freezes. And don’t assume moving to a new device or IP will fix it. Coinbase tracks hardware fingerprints, browser signatures, and even your typing rhythm. If they think you’re trying to bypass restrictions, they’ll shut you down faster than you can click ‘confirm’.

What’s missing from most explanations? The real reason these rules exist. It’s not about control. It’s about survival. After the 2022 FTX collapse, regulators cracked down hard on every exchange. Coinbase got fined $50 million for AML failures in 2023. Since then, they’ve tightened everything. If you’re in a U.S. state like New York, you can’t trade certain tokens. If you’re in Europe, you might face stricter ID rules under MiCA. Even your phone number matters—if it’s from a high-risk country, you’ll get flagged. You’re not being singled out. You’re just part of a system designed to avoid another regulatory meltdown.

Below, you’ll find real cases of users hit by these rules—some from Brazil, others from Myanmar, and even those caught in OFAC sanctions. You’ll see how exchanges like Altsbit and Libre failed because they ignored these same rules. And you’ll learn how to spot when a restriction is legitimate… and when it’s a scam pretending to be Coinbase. This isn’t about fighting the system. It’s about understanding it so you don’t get caught in the crossfire.