Coinbase Opens Registration To Users In Mainland China

Coinbase has opened account registration to users in mainland China, expanding the identity documents and residential addresses accepted during onboarding.

Users can now complete verification with a Chinese national identity card and a mainland China address. The previous process required a Chinese passport alongside a residential address in Hong Kong.

Coinbase staff confirmed the registration change after users began sharing screenshots from the updated verification flow on July 14.

Coinbase has not published a separate launch announcement or disclosed which products will be available after registration. Account creation and identity verification do not automatically provide access to every trading pair, payment method or fiat service offered by the exchange.

The company’s public identity verification documentation still lists a passport as the accepted document for China and does not show national identity cards or proof-of-address options. The page had not been updated to reflect the newly reported registration flow at publication time.

Coinbase Widens International Access

The mainland China change follows a series of regional expansions as Coinbase builds a broader international customer base around crypto, derivatives, equities and stablecoin payments.

The exchange recently launched direct Indian rupee deposits and withdrawals, giving users in India access to bank transfers through the country’s Immediate Payment Service.

Coinbase also secured UK authorization for derivatives and equities in July, extending its regulated product scope beyond spot crypto and existing fiat services.

Product availability remains dependent on location. Coinbase’s support policy allows the company to restrict funding, purchases or other account functions when local regulations prevent a service from being offered.

China Maintains Restrictions On Crypto Trading

China has not announced a reversal of its restrictions on cryptocurrency trading or offshore exchange services.

The People’s Bank of China and nine other authorities declared virtual currency-related business activities illegal in September 2021. The notice specifically included services provided by overseas cryptocurrency exchanges to residents inside China.

Beijing has continued developing the state-backed digital yuan while maintaining those restrictions on privately issued cryptocurrencies. The digital yuan entered a new phase in January when wallet balances began earning interest.