It takes discipline to keep a wallet safe. I used to discount the risk of that, but over time I feel less and less confident in the average person's ability to not lose a wallet or have it hacked.
To me Coinbase feels more like bank. Once I deposit money I no longer worry about the physical security of that money. Clearly that isn't the case given it's not FDIC insured, but the fact that it's a multi-billion dollar publicly-traded corporation instills some confidence.
> To me Coinbase feels more like bank. Once I deposit money I no longer worry about the physical security of that money. Clearly that isn't the case given it's not FDIC insured, but the fact that it's a multi-billion dollar publicly-traded corporation instills some confidence.
And that is the danger. It feels like a bank, and lots of other people also feel it is like a bank, so you figure you are safe.
But it is not a bank. It does not offer the regulator protection of a bank. Feelings don't change that. A good UI does not change that. Only regulation change that.
Unless Coinbase is regulated like a bank or brokerage, what it feels like is irrelevant if you're in the U.S. Short of your deposits being FDIC or SIPC insured you know all you need to know: every cent and/or coin you have with them is at risk.
To me Coinbase feels more like bank. Once I deposit money I no longer worry about the physical security of that money. Clearly that isn't the case given it's not FDIC insured, but the fact that it's a multi-billion dollar publicly-traded corporation instills some confidence.