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Coinbase has quietly opened account registration to mainland China users, accepting Chinese national identity cards and domestic addresses for verification for the first time, according to user reports confirmed by crypto media outlet Wu Blockchain on July 14.
Coinbase staff confirmed to Wu Blockchain that users can now complete verification using a Chinese national ID and a mainland China address, replacing a previous requirement that demanded a Chinese passport together with a Hong Kong address, a combination that effectively locked out most mainland residents.
Just In: Coinbase Opens Registration to Users in China
On July 14, multiple social media users reported that Coinbase had opened account registration to users in China. Wu Blockchain confirmed the change with Coinbase staff, who said users can now complete verification using a… pic.twitter.com/LAhqVEVdCr
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 14, 2026
Registration reportedly takes about one minute under the new process, with users also able to register using a Chinese mobile number starting with the country code +86. Coinbase has made no public announcement of the change, and its official support documentation still lists a passport as the only accepted document for China, creating a discrepancy between live platform behavior and published guidance that the company has not yet explained.
Previously, mainland Chinese users who wanted to open a Coinbase account needed two documents that most mainland residents do not hold simultaneously: a Chinese passport and proof of a Hong Kong address. That combination was a practical barrier that excluded the overwhelming majority of China’s population from completing Coinbase’s mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
Coinbase requires identity verification at account creation and periodically for recordkeeping, legal, compliance, and fraud-prevention purposes, according to the company’s published guidelines. Newly registered accounts will have limited functionality until identity verification is completed.
What the change does not do is alter China’s regulatory environment. China’s 2021 ban on crypto trading and offshore exchange services remains in force. The People’s Bank of China and nine other agencies outlawed crypto trading in a September 2021 notice, declaring services from offshore exchanges to mainland residents illegal financial activity.
Coinbase has not announced that trading services are being actively marketed to mainland residents, and opening an account does not automatically grant access to deposits, trading, or all platform products.
As Coinbase has not publicly explained why it relaxed its verification requirements for mainland Chinese users, it leaves the strategic intent open to interpretation.
The change could be aimed at simplifying onboarding for Chinese nationals, standardizing global identity verification, or expanding access ahead of any future regulatory shift. China has routed most regulated crypto activity through Hong Kong since 2022, and Beijing has not formally eased its restrictions on offshore crypto exchanges serving mainland residents.
The timing also aligns with Coinbase’s broader international expansion strategy. The exchange resumed onboarding users in India in late 2025 after resolving regulatory issues there, suggesting it is seeking growth beyond its core markets.
At the same time, Coinbase faces increasing competitive pressure from rivals such as Robinhood, which recently launched its own layer-2 blockchain and has reported strong early adoption. Expanding its potential user base, therefore, carries clear commercial appeal, even if China’s regulatory outlook remains uncertain.
Whether this marks the beginning of a broader China strategy or simply a limited onboarding change remains unclear. Much will depend on whether Beijing responds to the move or allows mainland users continued access to Coinbase’s verification process without intervention.
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