Coinbase publishes the mechanics in detail and the money not at all. Its terms say the bonus varies by country without naming a US figure, and say limits on the number of referrals may apply without stating any. The most useful thing here is a trap most coverage misses: taking a referral makes the person you referred ineligible for Coinbase's own new-user promotions, so the referral can cost them more than it gives you.
How you get your link
Open the referrals page on Coinbase.com or the Invite Friends tab in the mobile app.
- Text (consent required)
- Messaging apps
What the person you refer gets
Not published, and this figure varies by account too. They must buy crypto within 90 days of becoming trade eligible.
The cap, exactly
Coinbase publishes no cap for this program. That is not the same as there being none, so confirm on the terms page before you plan around it.
Tax treatment
Coinbase publishes no position on how this reward is taxed. The tax falls on the person doing the referring, not the person referred. This is reference information, not tax advice.
Where you may share this link
Coinbase places real limits on how you may share your link, but stops short of banning public posting outright. The exact wording is what matters here, so read the clause rather than our summary of it. Dealaka does not host links for this program.
When it pays
Eligible payouts are made within 5 to 15 days.
The fine print that matters
- Accepting your referral disqualifies your friend from the Coinbase New User First Buy Spin The Wheel incentive and from First Trade and Trade Eligible promo codes.
- Coinbase states the bonus amount varies based on country and publishes no figure for the US.
- Coinbase says a maximum number of bonuses may apply, without stating one. That is not the same as an unlimited program.
- The purchase must be made through the ordinary trade flow with a bank transfer, debit card, or credit card. Purchases on Coinbase Advanced or Coinbase Prime do not count.
- Paid advertising on Coinbase or Coinbase-related keywords is prohibited, and doing it deactivates your referral code and voids the referrals it produced.
- You may only send your link to people who have consented to receive it, and you indemnify Coinbase against claims arising from the message.
- Residents of Washington state cannot participate by text message. Do not send a link to a resident of the United Kingdom or Turkey.
- The ten-referral cap that circulates for Coinbase is from the Canadian terms and does not govern US users.
Sources: coinbase.com referral program terms (checked Jul 21, 2026)
Dealaka does not host referral links for this program and takes no share of any referral reward. This page describes the terms Coinbase publishes. Something wrong? Send a tip.