eToro vs Coinbase | The Many Reasons To Use Both Exchanges
Jack Moreau
Mar 2024
10 min read
Fact checked
When it comes to choosing a cryptocurrency exchange, you want to make sure you're picking the best one. That's why we've compared eToro vs Coinbase across a range of important factors to help you make an informed decision. From KYC requirements, trading fees, to products and user experience, we've got you covered!
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
When it comes to cryptocurrency trading, eToro and Coinbase are two of the most well-known and popular exchanges in the market.
In 2007, the global social trading and multi-asset investment platform eToro was founded by Yoni & Ronen Assia.
The company is available in over 140 countries and has it's main office in Tel Aviv, Israel, and legal entities in the US, UK, EU and Australia.
On eToro, users can trade a range of financial instruments, including stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies.
eToro has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface, diverse range of assets and innovative social trading features. The platform allows users to follow and copy the trades of experienced investors, creating a community-driven trading experience.
eToro has an estimated 30 million users worldwide and operates in 140 countries. Both eToro and Coinbase have mobile apps available on both Android and IOS with millions of downloads and solid ratings based on thousands of reviews.
Coinbase was founded in 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsa and is a leading US-based exchange and wallet service known for its user-friendly interface, security, and regulatory compliance.
The platform supports various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as multiple fiat currencies. Coinbase offers a range of services, such as spot trading, recurring buys, staking, and Coinbase Learn & Earn, an educational program that rewards users for learning about cryptocurrencies.
The exchange caters to both retail and institutional investors with its advanced trading platform, Coinbase Pro. Coinbase has an estimated 100 million users worldwide and operates in 100 countries.
While Coinbase offers a decent range of over 200 cryptocurrencies, eToro lags behind with only 80 cryptocurrencies available for trading. However, eToro offers additional investment products not available on Coinbase such as stocks trading with 0% commission.
eToro vs Coinbase Signup & KYC
When it comes to the signup process and KYC requirements, eToro and Coinbase both have similar approaches.
If we begin with eToro, signing requires users to provide their email and confirm the verification.
However, before users can start trading, they must complete KYC verification by providing personal information and a valid government ID.
Processing time for verification usually takes around 1-2 business day on eToro but can take up to 5 days in some cases. Coinbase's signup process is also quick and easy, taking about a minute to complete.
Verification is required through KYC which involves submitting personal information and documents such as a valid government ID.
To complete the Coinbase verification process will take a couple of minutes and then it's up to Coinbase to give the green light.
The verification on Coinbase can be as quick as within 20 minutes but can take 1-2 business days in some cases.
eToro vs Coinbase Products & Services
While eToro and Coinbase are two of the most popular exchanges in the world, let's move on to discover how they compare in terms of product offering.
eToro is a leading trading platform designed for traders of all levels, offering a wide array of tools and assets for effective trading.
At its core, eToro boasts a vast selection of more than 3,200 well-known stocks such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, AirBnb, Uber and Tesla.
Additionally, over 30 different commodities and more than 20 key global indices can be traded on eToro, giving traders ample choice. At the time of writing, commodities, currencies and indices are not available to users in the United States.
For those more intrigued by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, Polkadot and others, eToro offers a platform to trade over 70 cryptocurrencies.
Diversifying the mix even further, there are also over 400 ETFs, featuring popular ones like the SPDR S&P 500, Vanguard and Ark Innovation.
Understanding the need for continuous learning in the world of trading, eToro offers an Academy filled with useful courses, webinars, and tutorials.
In terms of tools, eToro has teamed up with TradingView to provide dynamic and easy-to-understand charts that help traders read the market.
The platform also offers helpful risk management tools, making it easy for traders to set profit goals and manage potential losses. Stop Loss and Take Profit are however not guaranteed.
And for those wanting to test the waters without real financial risk, eToro provides a demo mode with a $100,000 virtual balance.
A standout feature of eToro is its CopyTrader system. This lets users follow and replicate the trades of experienced traders, providing a great way to learn and benefit from their expertise.
Lastly, acknowledging the growing popularity of NFTs, eToro has introduced Delta. This is a user-friendly platform that makes buying, selling, and managing NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain simple and straightforward.
In terms of user experience, eToro is tailored for both beginners and professionals alike. While the interface is simple to use and navigate, it does feel a bit outdated and could do with a more modern UX.
Coinbase differs a lot from eToro in that it's one of the biggest exchanges in the world that focuses primarly on crypto specific services.
Coinbase has primarily focused its efforts on developing products and services that resonate with crypto beginners and large institutional clients.
Due to the rigorous regulatory landscape in the United States, Coinbase has steered away from introducing the high-risk, high-leverage products that are often a staple in many offshore exchanges.
This restriction, while potentially diminishing the platform's appeal to seasoned traders, has proven to be a benefit for newbies as they have a simpler user interface to navigate.
Coinbase differentiates its user experience by providing two separate interfaces: the standard Coinbase interface, which is designed for beginners seeking an easy-to-use platform, and the Advanced interface, which caters to the more experiend traders.
The platform offers an solid range of over 240 cryptocurrencies for trading. These can be transacted either through the UX-centric buy-and-sell feature for everyday users or through the spot trading in the Advanced section.
For investors who prefer a gradual entry into their investment positions, Coinbase facilitates this with a recurring buy feature for Dollar Cost Averaging.
In a move to broaden its trading spectrum, Coinbase has also ventured into futures trading, introducing BTC and ETH futures along with perpetual contracts for a selection of cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, SOL and AXAX with up to 5X leverage.
While Coinbase is typically ranked in the top three exchanges worldwide in terms of its spot trading volumes, it currently has much lower futures trading volumes.
For those interested in monetizing their digital currency holdings, Coinbase currently offers an enticing 5% interest rate on holdings in USDC.
Another initiative tailored for beginners is the learn-and-earn program where participants can gain insights into various blockchain technologies and receive token rewards.
Coinbase has also made inroads into the NFT with its own platform where users can mint, explore, and trade NFTs on blockchains like Ethereum, Base, and Polygon.
Further integrating cryptocurrency into everyday life, Coinbase has launched a Visa Card so that users can use their crypto or USD holdings for regular transactions while earning rewards on their spending.
Addressing the needs of users who prefer self-custody of their crypto assets, Coinbase has introduced the Web 3 Coinbase Wallet.
This wallet allows users to securely store and manage their cryptocurrencies and provides seamless access to DeFi on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
Coinbase's recent introduction of the Coinbase One Membership which is priced at $29.99 per month, presents users with an opportunity for zero-fee trades, enhanced staking rewards, and priority support.
As a publicly traded entity in the U.S., Coinbase operates under strict regulatory and accountability protocols, making it one of the safest platforms for cryptocurrency trading and storage.
This robust security framework is a key factor in why leading institutions like BlackRock and Grayscale entrust Coinbase with trading and custodial services for a diverse portfolio of over 240 crypto assets.
Coinbase Prime serves high-net-worth individuals and institutions, offering them a secure gateway to advanced trading, innovative financing solutions, cold storage facilities, staking services, and much more.
Overall, while both eToro and Coinbase have their strengths and weaknesses, the choice ultimately comes down to the needs of each user.
eToro is clearly the better option for those that want a one stop shop to buy and sell 1,000s of financial products, while Coinbase is the better option for those that want a wider crypto specific product range.
Let's take a look at the trading fees offered by eToro and Coinbase. First up is eToro, which charges a 1% fee for buying and selling cryptocurrencies.
Unfortunately, eToro does not offer any rebates for higher trading volumes, so users are stuck paying that 1% fee no matter how much they trade.
While eToro's fees for buying and selling crypto are on the high end, they also do offer the option for users to buy and sell stocks with 0% commission.
When it comes to depositing fiat currencies on the exchange, let's take a look at the deposit methods offered by each exchange.
eToro supports four fiat currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, and AUD. You can make deposits on eToro using bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, or debit card.
The best part is that all fiat deposits are free of charge on eToro, so you don't have to worry about losing any of your hard-earned money to fees. Conversion fee may however be applied as deposits are conducted in $.
On the other hand, Coinbase supports three fiat currencies, USD, EUR, and GBP. You can make deposits on Coinbase via ACH (for USD), SEPA (for EUR), wire transfer (for USD), or Swift (for GBP).
While ACH deposits are free, wire deposits incur a $10 USD fee and SEPA deposits incur a 0.15 EUR fee. Swift deposits are free of charge.
When it comes to fiat withdrawals, eToro and Coinbase both have multiple methods available. eToro offers withdrawals to a bank account or debit card, while Coinbase offers withdrawals via ACH, wire, SEPA, and Swift.
However, there are some differences in fees between the two exchanges. eToro charges a $5 withdrawal fee for all currencies and a conversion fee for fiat currencies besides USD, while Coinbase offers free ACH withdrawals but charges a $25 fee for wire withdrawals.
Moving on to cryptocurrency withdrawals, Coinbase offers different fees depending on the underlying blockchain. For example, Coinbase charges a small 0.0001 BTC withdrawal fee for Bitcoin and a few dollars fee for those withdrawing ERC-20 USDC/USDT.
eToro and Coinbase are two of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the market today.
While they both offer spot trading, the similarities largely end there. eToro is a versatile platform that allows users to buy and sell a wide range of financial assets, including 80 cryptocurrencies, 3,000 different stocks, and 30 commodities for those that live outside the United States.
Coinbase, on the other hand, is a top US-regulated cryptocurrency exchange that offers its users a wide range of features and services, including spot trading, lending and borrowing, a non-custodial Web 3 wallet, and an NFT marketplace.
In terms of fees, eToro charges a 1% fee for buying and selling cryptocurrencies, while Coinbase charges a spot maker fee of 0.40% and a spot taker fee of 0.60%.
Both eToro and Coinbase have their strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately, the choice comes boils down to the users needs. eToro is clearly the better destination for users who seek to invest in more traditional financial products besides cryptocurrencies.
On the flip side, Coinbase is clearly the better option for users to want to mainly buy, sell, stake and earn on a wider range of cryptocurrencies with lower fees.
Disclaimer
Securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (“the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Cryptocurrency offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured.
Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance.
luckyaltcoin.com is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB and/or the BD.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
Author
Jack Moreau
Jack is a crypto writer and reviewer who has been active in the space since he caught the crypto bug in 2017. With a passion for trying out new shiny things, Jack is always eager to try the latest cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets or DeFi applications.