Coinbase is considered to be one of the most secure platforms currently available. First of all, Coinbase is US based and is therefore required to comply with US State and Federal law. This can be contrasted with some of their competitors that operate in countries that may have lighter regulations when it comes to such platforms. Coinbase has actively pursued discussions with regulators in order to ensure that they were providing an open and innovative financial system and the regulation of Coinbase is considered by some to have restored confidence in cryptocurrencies following the Mt Gox collapsed (although other commentators have complained that Coinbase operates more like a bank, which, within the community, is against the fundamental nature of a decentralised cryptocurrency). In addition, Coinbase has received investment from a number of high-profile backers, including the Bank of Tokyo and BBVA, which boosts its legitimacy
When it comes to storage of funds, Coinbase is transparent about its methods. Coinbase segregates customer funds from company operational funds, with Coinbase stating on their website that any funds held on behalf of customers are stored in custodial bank accounts and, in the event of insolvency, neither Coinbase nor its creditors would have any rights or entitlements to such customer funds. In terms of its cryptocurrency storage, Coinbase states that 98% of customers’ cryptocurrency funds and stored offline, through hardware wallets and paper wallets that are stored in vaults and safety deposit boxes worldwide. In addition, Coinbase states that the remaining portion of cryptocurrency that is stored online is insured, and that in the event of a hack, customers will be entitled to receive any funds lost through this insurance policy.
Coinbase offers customers a 2-factor authentication method, which can be through SMS to your phone, or through third party apps such as Google Authenticator or Duo. In addition, Coinbase notifies users if a new device or IP address attempts to access your customer account. However, despite this, if customer accounts are compromised, Coinbase does not accept any liability for funds being lost. For that reason, it is typically recommended that once you have purchased any cryptocurrency on the Coinbase exchange, you store this cryptocurrency offline in a wallet that you control.