Coinbase reportedly opens account registration for mainland China users
In brief
- Coinbase reportedly allows mainland Chinese users to register with national ID and domestic address, per Odaily reporting July 14.
- Move represents departure from Coinbase's prior policy restricting verification options for Chinese residents.
- China's 2021 PBOC ban prohibits crypto trading and foreign exchanges servicing mainland users, creating potential legal conflict.
- Coinbase has not publicly confirmed the change, leaving strategic intent unclear.
A Departure From Prior Policy
Previously, Coinbase had limited verification pathways available to users in China, effectively blocking most mainland residents from completing the know-your-customer process. A Chinese-language Coinbase signup page was included in the Odaily report, suggesting the exchange has built out infrastructure to support mainland Chinese onboarding. This represents a material change in the company's approach to the world's second-largest economy.
The Regulatory Backdrop
In September 2021, the People's Bank of China issued sweeping regulations that prohibited crypto trading, mining, and related financial services within the country. The ban explicitly targeted overseas platforms servicing mainland residents, making it illegal for foreign exchanges to offer services to Chinese users. This regulatory framework built on earlier enforcement — China had already banned initial coin offerings in 2017 and forced domestic exchanges to shut down.
If Coinbase is genuinely onboarding mainland users at scale, the move raises questions about whether the company believes the regulatory environment has shifted. Compliance experts argue that accepting mainland Chinese verification would directly conflict with the 2021 PBOC ban, and Coinbase's silence may reflect legal risk awareness rather than confidence in regulatory leniency.
Unclear Strategy
The lack of official acknowledgment makes Coinbase's strategy unclear. The company may be testing regulatory appetite, quietly shutting down access to existing users, or unaware of the signup page's availability. Coinbase resumed onboarding users in India in late 2025 after resolving prior regulatory issues in the country, suggesting the exchange does pursue market re-entry when conditions permit. Whether China represents a similar opportunity — or a misconfigured test — remains uncertain without direct comment from the company.
