Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Your Coinbase account shows 'under review' — and it's been days, weeks, maybe months with no update. Coinbase's review process is notoriously opaque: no timeline, no status updates, no indication of what's being reviewed or what documents might help. This is Coinbase's AML compliance process at work — but because they're a NASDAQ-listed company, the review standards are higher and the process is slower than most exchanges. Our lead partner, a former FIU investigator, understands exactly what Coinbase's compliance team is evaluating and how to accelerate the review.
What 'under review' actually means: Coinbase's compliance team is analyzing your transaction history, fund origins, and risk profile. Unlike Binance (which sometimes tells you to submit SoF docs), Coinbase often just puts you in the review queue without requesting anything — they analyze what they already have from your account activity and banking connections.
The SAR dimension: If Coinbase's AML system identified potentially suspicious activity, they may have filed a SAR with FinCEN before even restricting your account. By the time you see 'under review,' the SAR may already be filed. This is critical context for how your responses should be crafted — everything you submit may become part of a regulatory file.
Regulatory complaint path: After exhausting Coinbase's internal process, CFPB complaints are effective for US users. For UK users, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) handles complaints against Coinbase's UK entity. For EU users, MiCA provides consumer protection mechanisms. We use these regulatory tools when Coinbase's internal process stalls.
Unfortunately yes. Coinbase reviews have no published timeline and commonly last 2-8 weeks. Without professional intervention, some reviews extend to 3+ months. Coinbase processes reviews internally without requesting user input — which means you're waiting for a decision you can't influence. We change this dynamic by proactively submitting compliance documentation and, when needed, filing regulatory complaints through CFPB or FOS.
Possibly. Coinbase is required to file SARs with FinCEN when their monitoring identifies potentially suspicious activity. They cannot tell you if they have (tipping-off prohibition). By the time you see 'under review,' a SAR may already be filed. This doesn't mean you're in trouble — SARs are filed on thousands of legitimate accounts as a precautionary measure. But it means your communications with Coinbase should be professionally structured.
Yes. For US users: CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) complaints are effective — Coinbase is legally required to respond. For UK users: Financial Ombudsman Service. For EU users: relevant national authority under MiCA. As a NASDAQ-listed company, Coinbase takes regulatory complaints seriously because they affect their public reporting. We advise on and prepare complaints when appropriate.
Coinbase deliberately uses softer language — restricted, under review, limited — instead of frozen, suspended, or blocked. The legal and practical effect is the same: your money is inaccessible. The terminology is a branding choice, not a substantive difference. Whether Coinbase calls it restricted or frozen, the resolution approach is identical: identify the cause, prepare documentation, submit through compliance channels.
Inherited crypto, accounts under another name, unprovable source of funds — situations other firms decline.
Often triggered alongside AML review. See how we handle source-of-funds documentation on Coinbase.
In-depth guide on crypto AML laws across Europe — documentation, legal strategy, and timelines.
How anti-money-laundering rules differ across Germany, UK, Switzerland, France, and more.
Tell us what triggered the AML review and what documentation they requested. We respond within 6 hours.