There are two ways to send crypto on Coinbase: on-chain or off-chain.
On-chain sends are used to send funds from the Coinbase platform to an external address on the blockchain. On-chain sends are irreversible; Coinbase can’t retrieve funds that were sent to the incorrect address or using the incorrect network. On-chain sends incur network fees and take time to process.
Off-chain sends allow you to send funds to another Coinbase user using their phone number, email address, or username. Off-chain sends are instant and incur no transaction fees.
1. Tap Send on the Home or Pay tab.
2. Select the asset.
3. Select a contact or enter a recipient's email, phone number, crypto address, or ENS name. You can also get this info by scanning the recipient's QR code.
4. Enter the amount of crypto you'd like to send (you can toggle between the cash or crypto amounts).
5. Select the network that you’d like to send on, if applicable (only available for assets that are supported on multiple networks; always confirm that your recipient’s wallet supports this network. You don’t need to select a network if you’re sending to a user’s email or phone number).
6. Leave a note (optional), then select Preview.
7. Confirm the transaction details.
8. Select Send now.
If you're trying to send more crypto than you have in your crypto balance, you'll be prompted to top up when doing the send.
Important: All sends to crypto addresses are irreversible. Coinbase cannot retrieve funds sent to the incorrect address or using the incorrect network.
You can share your unique cryptocurrency address to receive funds through your web browser or mobile device after signing in. By opting into Instant sends in your privacy settings, you can control whether you want your crypto address to be verifiable as a Coinbase user. If you opt in, then other users can send you money instantly and for free. If you opt out, then any sends to your crypto address will remain on-chain.