Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Coinbase disabled your trading functionality — buy/sell buttons are greyed out or show an error. Your portfolio value changes but you can't act on it. On Coinbase, trading restrictions typically accompany account-level compliance reviews. Unlike derivatives-focused exchanges where trading blocks might be jurisdictional, Coinbase is primarily a spot exchange — if trading is disabled, it's almost always compliance-related.
Coinbase trading restrictions are compliance signals: Because Coinbase doesn't offer complex derivatives products (unlike Bybit or Binance), there are fewer jurisdictional reasons for trading blocks. If Coinbase disabled your trading, it's almost certainly because your account is under compliance review. The trading block is a precautionary measure while they evaluate your account.
The portfolio torture: You can log in, see your portfolio value changing in real-time, but can't do anything — can't buy during a dip, can't sell during a spike. This creates real financial harm beyond just having funds locked. We prioritize trading restoration in time-sensitive market conditions.
Coinbase allows view-only access during compliance reviews — you can see your holdings and their current value, but all transaction functionality is disabled. This is a compliance precaution while your account is being reviewed. The block won't lift until the review is complete. We accelerate the review by proactively submitting compliance documentation.
On Coinbase, it's almost always compliance-based. Coinbase is primarily a spot exchange without complex derivatives — the main jurisdictional restrictions are country-level (Coinbase doesn't serve certain countries at all). If you previously had trading access and it was removed, the cause is a compliance flag on your account.
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.
This is a common and frustrating situation. Your account is under review, which disables trading functions while still displaying your portfolio value. You can see your balance but cannot buy, sell, or trade. This means Coinbase's compliance team is reviewing your account. The review must be resolved before trading is restored. Do not attempt to work around the restriction — there is no workaround. We resolve the underlying compliance review, which automatically restores trading functionality.
Yes — Coinbase can restrict specific trading pairs for your account or region while leaving others available. This can happen when a token is delisted, when regulatory restrictions apply to a specific asset, or when your compliance review flags activity involving a specific token. If only certain pairs are restricted, we identify whether the restriction is token-specific, region-specific, or compliance-triggered, and work to restore full trading functionality.
Yes — Coinbase can restrict specific tokens for your account or region while leaving others available. This happens when a token is delisted, when regulatory actions target a specific asset (e.g., SEC designating a token as a security), or when your compliance review flags activity involving a specific token. If only certain tokens are restricted, we identify whether the restriction is token-specific, region-specific, or compliance-triggered. For token-specific restrictions, the affected tokens may need to be converted to an available asset before withdrawal.
Inherited crypto, accounts under another name, unprovable source of funds — situations other firms decline.
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Tell us what restrictions Coinbase applied and when. We respond within 6 hours.