Coinbase Referral Program Review of 2023

In this Coinbase referral program review we will cover everything that you need to know about their referral program, but also the Coinbase affiliate program, as those two are very different, but first a general introduction. (If you want to skip ahead to the actual referral/affiliate-related information, use the Table of Contents below to jump right to the section).

Coinbase is among the world’s biggest and most popular digital currency platforms, particularly in the US. At present, it offers services to more than 100 countries and has over 30 million users across the globe. It also has USD Coin, which is its own stablecoin.

As a leading digital exchange, its users can trade major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, and Bitcoin. It’s also highly favored for its user-friendly interface, allowing newcomers to perform transactions effortlessly. It offers a myriad of services and products to cater to different client needs.

Like most popular exchanges, Coinbase also provides clients with the opportunity to earn BTC as commissions for promoting the platform. It runs two highly profitable schemes: The Coinbase referral program and the Affiliate program. Both of these options are incredible ways to make a decent passive income and give affiliates the option to share their personal Coinbase promo code to their network. It’s however worth keeping in mind that you need to meet specific eligibility criteria to join the affiliate program. And that’s what this article is about.

In this guide, we’ll provide a detailed Coinbase Referral program review and Coinbase Affiliate review. Here, you’ll learn every key detail about the company, its referral and affiliate schemes, and much more.

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Coinbase: An Overview

Launched in 2012 by Fred Ehrsam & Brian Armstrong in San Francisco, Coinbase is the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the US. Currently, the company boasts a market capitalization of over $100 billion. Coinbase is also among the world’s top crypto trading platforms in terms of trading volumes, traffic, and liquidity. 

The exchange allows you to purchase more than 20 crypto coins using fiat currency in 32 countries and operates in over 100+ countries. During the initial phase, the platform only supported BTC. However, it has now added a growing number of major cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, etc.

Since its inception, Coinbase has served over 20 million clients and has traded currency exchange for more than $320 billion. It’s also among the few cryptocurrency trading platforms that allow credit card transactions. The company is also backed by leading banking institutions and investment funds like BBVA and Andresen Horowitz.

Coinbase trade fees are, in the nature of the exchange being crypto newbie-friendly, in the high end for crypto exchange, with an average cost of 1.5%. This is bad news for regular cryptocurrency traders, but for you as an affiliate marketer, that’s excellent news with the commission share model that they have in place! If you trade Ethereum, Litecoin, or Bitcoin, you’ll be charged a minimum of 0.25%. The company also became SegWit enabled in February 2018, which further helped lower transaction charges for its users.

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Coinbase Services

In this section, we’ll discuss some of the services and features offered by Coinbase.

Coinbase Pro

The exchange offers two trading interfaces. First is the normal brokerage, which is ideal for beginner investors. The other one is called Coinbase Pro, and it’s more suitable for advanced traders. It also charges less fee and comes with more tools for trading and technical analysis.

Merchant Services

The platform also collaborates with online startups that wish to accept BTC and other alternative coins for products and services, with the Coinbase Commerce solution. Coinbase has designed a plugin that can integrate with leading eCommerce software. As a merchant, you can also adjust the settings to reduce your risk during price fluctuations.

Wallet

Coinbase has a mobile wallet that is compatible with both iOS & Android. This app lets you store cryptos on your smartphone, which indicates that the exchange doesn’t have custody over your funds. If your phone gets lost, there’s a twelve-word seed phrase that can be used to retrieve your wallet.

USDC (USD Coin)

Coinbase also has its own stablecoin called USD Coin or USDC. The value of this cryptocurrency is also linked to USD. The exchange allows you to exchange every USDC for one dollar. However, you can still receive, send, and save it like BTC.

Note: To withdraw funds from Coinbase to your existing bank account, you’ll need to trade your Bitcoin for USDC first.

Coinbase Earn

Coinbase is keen on making people learn about the benefits of cryptocurrencies (perhaps, this will entice people into buying more). As such, they’ll be even eager to reward you for learning about cryptos. Coinbase Earn is one such program where you can make about $180 worth of cryptocurrencies. All you have to do is read about them and pass quizzes successfully.

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Coinbase Referral Vs. Affiliate Program

Whether the cryptocurrency world is new to you or not, there are tons of opportunities to earn a passive income with Coinbase and other Bitcoin affiliate programs.

The digital currency industry is seeing rapid growth, and almost every company today offers a payout to new clients who purchase BTC using their product.

And Coinbase is no different. It’s currently offering two crypto affiliate programs, which include the Coinbase Referral program and the Coinbase Affiliate program.

Both these plans are similar in the sense that they both offer you commissions for referring new clients to Coinbase. However, you have to keep in mind that the referral program and the affiliate program are not the same.

Coinbase Referral Program	Commission Rate	Commission Duration	Payout Frequency	Payout Currency	Promote Now!
Coinbase Visit | Review	$10 (When referral buys their first $100 worth of crypto)	180 Days	Up to 4 days	USDC	Promote Coinbase!

For instance, every Coinbase member can join the referral program and make money. However, that’s not the case for the affiliate program. You need to apply for the scheme, and only once you get approved can you get started. We’ll cover both the programs in detail in the coming sections. So, keep reading!

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Coinbase Affiliate Program Explained

In January 2019, Coinbase, with the intention to expand its user base further, introduced its affiliate program. It’s also worth noting that the scheme is hosted by a top-tier affiliate network called Impact. Like all crypto affiliate programs, it created an incredible revenue-making opportunity for simply promoting people to Coinbase.

Through this plan, you can get a certain percentage of the referred person’s trade fees for a period of three months. When you reach the required commission payment threshold, you’ll get the payout. You can also withdraw the funds through a bank account or PayPal.

Coinbase’s affiliate program also gives access to specific data that will aid you in determining the performance of your campaigns. In addition, affiliates can even use the affiliate landing page to get more information about the program.

Bitcoins and other digital currencies are becoming quite popular on the internet. Most people today regard cryptocurrencies as an alternative for forex trading. When you partake in crypto trading, you can make money.

However, not everyone wants to invest their money directly into cryptocurrency trading. If you’re one such, Coinbase’s affiliate program is an excellent way to earn some passive income without putting your capital at risk.

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Coinbase Affiliate Program: How It Works?

So, in order to become an affiliate for the exchange and earn Coinbase affiliate commissions, you’ll have to get approved. For that, you need to complete a signup process for the program.

After you get approved, you’ll get access to your unique Coinbase affiliate link and other necessary promotional tools. As far as the workings of the program go, it’s pretty simple. You invite potential clients to register on the exchange, and once your referrals complete a transaction, you get commissions. 

When your invitees register on Coinbase and make payments, you can earn about 50% commission from their trade fees. Do note that recurring payments are only for the initial three months. Also, the people you invite through your link must take action within 30 days.

To understand the program better, you need to know its benefits and drawbacks. And that’s what we’ll be covering next.

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Coinbase Affiliate Program Benefits

Here are some of the benefits you’ll get to enjoy by joining the Coinbase affiliate program:

Reliable Affiliate Landing Page

Coinbase offers a satisfactory affiliate landing page. Affiliate landing pages are supposed to be reliable and informative, and Coinbase ensures that it includes all crucial details.

Minimum Commission Payment Threshold

Coinbase’s affiliate program has a low commission payment threshold. Impact transfers payments when your Coinbase affiliate earnings cross $10. You’ll receive the funds to your PayPal or bank account.

Deep Linking

You also have the option for deep linking. It means you can create links to specific pages on the exchange site. Rather than using the standard affiliate link for the homepage, you can link your content to a related product or article. Doing so will help boost relevance as well as conversion rates. You can deep-link to the platform’s large assortment of products.

Creative Assets and Well-designed Banners

Coinbase features well-designed banners for affiliates to use in their affiliate marketing campaigns. As such, you can make your marketing campaigns attractive, clear, and captivating for your potential referrals. You also get an excellent collection of creative assets, which include banners and logos in varied sizes.

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Coinbase Affiliate program Drawbacks

Now, there are a few drawbacks to Coinbase’s affiliate program, which Include:

Minimum Recurring Payments

The program’s recurring payment is only for three months, unlike other crypto affiliate plans that give lifetime residual earnings. Though it boasts a high commission rate (50%), your residual earnings won’t last long.

Standard Cookie Duration

The cookie duration for the program is pretty standard, which is 30 days. Trading or funding an account isn’t something people do hastily. Moreover, it takes some time to deposit funds, get verified, learn the user interface, and finally perform trades. All these minor delays might make the referral period seem a little disadvantageous.

Not Easy to Get Approved

Unlike other affiliate programs, getting approval for Coinbase’s affiliate program isn’t easy. Also, you need to have an active website or blog to apply for the scheme. Plus, your blog or site needs to have decent traffic.

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Coinbase Affiliate Program Rules

There are some dos and don’ts that you need to consider to get rewarded through the affiliate program. Following these rules will also help prevent the cancellation of referrals.

• To receive your referral bonus, your invitees should sign up after visiting the site via your link. If the referral has clicked on multiple referral links, the last one clicked on should be your link.
• The invitee will also need to complete a transaction using the Coinbase trading platform. Completing trades on Coinbase Pro or GDAX won’t get you any commission.
• If you promote with paid ads and use the word “Coinbase” or keywords related to Coinbase, you’ll get penalized. It could result in the deactivation of your referral code.
• You aren’t allowed to use fake or duplicate accounts for referral bonuses
• Coinbase holds the right to make changes to the program’s rules whenever they deem necessary

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Earning As an Affiliate on Coinbase

It may not always be possible to make regular profits through crypto trading, mainly because the digital currency market is highly volatile. At times, the demand and supply of cryptocurrencies will be high, and sometimes, the trading volume may fall. Nonetheless, as an affiliate on Coinbase, you needn’t worry about the fluctuations in the crypto trading market. That’s because you won’t be affected by it.

Can you make monthly earnings of $1000 as an affiliate on Coinbase? Yes, you can. The exchange offers a high referral commission alongside its standard 30-day referral duration. Moreover, it features an incredible collection of products and supported cryptocurrencies for potentially high exchange rates.

One biggest advantage of this affiliate program is that you can invite as many people as you want. Plus, there’s no limit to how much you can earn. As such, you should try and reach out to several individuals to boost the number of potential referrals.

Also, finding referrals that might make large investments at a time would do you good. Ultimately, how much earnings you make through Coinbase’s affiliate program will depend on how well you reach out to potential clients.

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Affiliate Fees on Coinbase

Coinbase could charge about $200; however, it’ll depend on how much amount one invests. For example, say a customer purchases cryptocurrency that is worth about $500. In such a case, he’ll have to make a fixed payment of 1.49 percent, which means Coinbase will get $7.45.

Consequently, you’ll earn a Coinbase referral bonus of $3.72. Now, the referral commissions may not seem like much to you. However, with several referrals, you’ll be able to make more commissions in a short period. Sometimes, your invitees may invest as high as or above $1000 at once. In such instances, your referral payout will be much higher.

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How to Sign Up For The Coinbase Affiliate Program?

The signup process for the Coinbase affiliate program is a breeze, and it requires only a few simple steps. They include:

Step 1.  Visit Coinbase.com

Firstly, you’ll have to go to the official site of Coinbase and look for the affiliate page. You’ll find it at the bottom section of the site (see picture above). Once you find the link for the affiliate page under “company,” click on it.

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Step 2. Click on Become an Affiliate

Next, you’ll be directed to Coinbase’s affiliate page. There, you’ll notice a green icon (see image above) right in the middle. You just have to tap on it, and you’ll be required to fill up a form for the affiliate program.

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Step 3. Fill in Your Details

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Once you tap on “Become an Affiliate,” you’ll be taken to the signup page. There, you’ll have to submit certain details, which include personal information, business information, and promotional information.

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Step 4. Get Approved, Start Promoting, and Get Commissions

After filling in all the necessary details, click on “Sign Up” and wait for the approval. Once approved, Coinbase will give you access to certain tools to generate your affiliate link and track them. You can then use the link in your blogs, articles, and social posts on your social media or website. Now your referrals must make transactions on the platform within 30 days after signing up via your link. Only then you’ll receive a commission.

Note: To qualify for Coinbase’s affiliate program, you’ll need to have a blog or a website.

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How to get Coinbase referrals?

There are multiple methods you can use to promote and get Coinbase referrals successfully. Here are some of the best tactics that you can use:

Use Social Media, Forums

It’d do you good to find and advertise to an audience that will be interested in signing up. Try to entice potential clients by conveying the benefits they’ll receive from joining and trading on Coinbase. Also, remember to add your affiliate link. The best places to find potential referrals include Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and forums like Quora.

Start a Website

Another excellent way to advertise Coinbase is by creating a crypto-niche website. Know that affiliate marketing isn’t something that will get you instant, immediate returns. It requires you to put in some effort and time before you start seeing results. If you already have a site, make sure you put out high-quality content related to crypto trading with Coinbase. Using relevant keywords and headlines is also crucial to drive more traffic to your site.

Build Your Email List

Try to grow your email list of target clients. It may take some time, but you can rely on strategic ways to collect and grow your email list. You can offer free gifts, which requires your audience to sign up. Another option is to organize webinars and get the emails of your audience through them. Once you have the list, you can send enlightening newsletters or content to your subscribers via email. Also, follow up on them so that they can take action.

Promote on YouTube

Starting a YouTube channel can also be a great way to promote Coinbase. If you already have one, then that’s awesome. Just remember to create and post content on Coinbase, its benefits, and so on. Also, attach your link under the description of your videos.

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Coinbase Referral Program Explained

The exchange features a referral program, which the company introduced long before launching its affiliate program. This Coinbase Refer a Friend scheme enables you to get commissions for inviting friends to join the exchange. Best of all, it’s available to every Coinbase member. As such, it’s an excellent option for you if you didn’t get approved for the affiliate program.

Coinbase Referral Program	Commission Rate	Commission Duration	Payout Frequency	Payout Currency	Promote Now!
Coinbase Visit | Review	$10 (When referral buys their first $100 worth of crypto)	180 Days	Up to 4 days	USDC	Promote Coinbase!

While the Coinbase referral reward is $10 at present, the referring party used to get $75 in the past. In 2017, the company offered $75 to its clients for every individual they referred. However, in September 2017, Coinbase dropped its referral payout from $75 to $10.  Consequently, it caused quite an outrage against the platform.

Nevertheless, it’s quite understandable why Coinbase decided to lower its referral bonus amount. During the time, the exchange was already getting a high number of signups. As such, they didn’t really need to depend on affiliate marketers for getting new clients.

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Coinbase Referral Program: How It Works?

The overall process of Coinbase’s referral program is simple, and it’s pretty similar to most crypto referral programs. If you’re interested in becoming an affiliate and earning commissions through this scheme, you must first register on the platform.

After creating your Coinbase account, you’ll have to sign in and then visit the referral page. Once you’re on the referral page, you’ll get your special Coinbase referral link and Coinbase referral code.

You can then use these links and codes to refer new friends to the platform. When your invitees join Coinbase through your referral link, it tracks the referral using a distinct ID embedded within Coinbase’s signup URL. And once the new client performs a transaction of at least $100, both you and your referral will get $10. Win-win.

Also, note that your invitees must open their account on Coinbase within 90 days after visiting through your link. Once they have opened their account, they’ll have to perform trades within 180 days to get the referral bonus. What’s great about the Coinbase referral scheme is that both you and your invitees get the referral reward.

$10 may not seem like a lot. However, you’d be surprised by how many users actually register to trade cryptos. And before you even realize it, $10 can add up pretty quickly.

Note: You may have to wait four business days for your orders to complete and get your referral payout.

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How To Sign Up For The Coinbase Referral Program?

You’ll also be glad to know that the signup process for Coinbase’s referral program is pretty straightforward. You don’t need any inside knowledge or technical skills to complete the process. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you register for the referral program. So, keep reading!

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Step 1. Visit Coinbase & register

Firstly, you’ll have to register and create your Coinbase account. In order to do that, you’ll need to visit Coinbase.com. Once there, you’ll find an option called “Get Started.” Tap on it, and a signup page will pop up. If you’ve followed a referral link, which you should, as there’s no downside, then the page will look like this:

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Step 2. Enter Your Details

Once the signup form pops up (see image above), you’ll have to enter some basic information – your email, name, and password. After filling in the empty fields, tick the User Agreement & Privacy Policy, and click on “Create Account.”

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Step 3. Verify Email & Set Up 2-Step Verification

After clicking on Create Account, you’ll receive a verification email for confirmation. Open your inbox and click the link to start. Once confirmed, you’ll then have to set up a 2-step verification using your phone number (See image below).

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Step 4. Go to Coinbase’s Referral Program Page

After all the verification is complete, you can finally sign in. Once you log in, you’ll have to visit the referral program page on Coinbase. There, you’ll notice a highlighted “Referrals page” (see picture above). Click on it, and a new page will pop up, where you can find your Coinbase’s referral code and link.

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Step 5. Start Inviting Your Friends and Earn Commissions

Finally, you can copy your referral link and share it in a text message, email, or through your favorite messaging apps. Coinbase also lets you send the link directly via Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook (see image above).

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Coinbase Referral Program: Key Points To Remember

• To get your referral bonus, the referred person must complete their account registration and place trades in one of Coinbase’s supported countries.
• The friends you invite shouldn’t have an existing account on the platform.
• Your friend also needs to complete a transaction worth $100 or more. Once done, you’ll both receive $10 each.
• Keep in mind that your referred users must perform trades within 180 days after they open their account. Plus, it may take about four business days for orders to complete.
• You can refer as many friends as you want as there isn’t any limit. However, there might be limits on how much commissions you can receive.
• It’s prohibited to promote your referral code using paid ads on Coinbase or related keywords. If you engage in such advertising techniques, your referral code will get deactivated, and your referrals will get canceled.
• Coinbase also holds the right to make changes in the referral program terms whenever it deems necessary.
• By enrolling in the referral scheme, you also acknowledge that Coinbase doesn’t guarantee payouts.

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Reasons For Not Getting Your Referral Bonus

Following are some reasons why you or your invitees may not be eligible for Coinbase’s referral bonus:

• Your invitees must register using your distinct referral link. They need to set up a new account on Coinbase directly after clicking your link. The system can’t capture referrals if the referred user creates an account through the Coinbase app rather than your referral link.
• Also, the referred users should complete qualifying orders using the exchange trading platform. Note if the invitee place orders on Coinbase Pro, neither party (referrer and referred) will get the referral bonus. 
• You’ll only receive a referral bonus if your invitees verify their account and place trades (worth $100 or over) within 180 days after creating their account.
• Coinbase doesn’t offer referral rewards for fake or duplicate accounts. Shared or duplicate financials will result in disqualification.
• The referred user must get the referral bonus requirements done within 180 days after opening their account. If not, neither party will get a bonus.

For more detailed information on Coinbase’s referral program rules and regulations, kindly visit this page on Coinbase’s site.

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Coinbase Referral Program: Pros & Cons

Pros

✔ Everyone is eligible for the program.

✔ Both the referrer and the referred user get a referral bonus of $10.

✔ You can invite as many people as you like.

✔ The signup process for the program is pretty straightforward and easy.

Cons

❌ Orders tend to take about four days to complete.

❌ Coinbase holds the right to change the terms of the program any time it wants.

❌ Earnings are capped at $10 for each referral.

Coinbase Referral Program	Commission Rate	Commission Duration	Payout Frequency	Payout Currency	Promote Now!
Coinbase Visit | Review	$10 (When referral buys their first $100 worth of crypto)	180 Days	Up to 4 days	USDC	Promote Coinbase!

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Coinbase Affiliate and Referral Programs FAQs

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about the affiliate and referral program on Coinbase.

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Bottom Line

From this review, it’s safe to say that Coinbase is among the top crypto exchange platforms around. It operates in over 100+ countries and supports more than 20 crypto coins.  The exchange also offers two legit ways for you to make passive earnings through its Affiliate and Referral Program.

With Coinbase’s Affiliate program, you can make about 50 percent commission for referring new clients to the platform. However, it does have some requirements for you to be eligible for the scheme.

On the contrary, its Referral program is available for all users. Moreover, with the Referral scheme, both parties get a referral bonus of $10. If you’re just starting out as an affiliate marketer, going with the Coinbase referral program is most likely the way to go for you, as with the Coinbase affiliate program, you have to provide a source of traffic and there are generally more requirements for you as an affiliate. If you however live up to those requirements, the affiliate program will be the better choice for you, as it can easily be more profitable for you with the commission share rather than the flat $10 commission for new signups.

For further information about Coinbase in general, check out our full Coinbase review.