Smart wallet

Smart wallet is one of several wallet types you can create or import in Coinbase Wallet, alongside email/social log-in wallets and mnemonic wallets. Onboard directly and securely from apps without needing to install a separate app or extension. Using passkeys, there's no need to memorize a recovery phrase, and cloud-based or hardware passkeys (e.g. Apple or Google passkeys) allow you to access your wallet across multiple devices.

You can hold up to 10 wallets under a single account and switch between them at any time using the wallet switcher.

Access smart wallet via Coinbase Wallet by importing your smart wallet or via web at wallet.coinbase.com. Smart wallets can't be accessed through the Coinbase app or the Coinbase Wallet extension.

Use Coinbase Wallet or wallet.coinbase.com to manage balances, view assets and transactions, or explore new opportunities. You can also perform wallet functions like swapping and sending.

Smart wallet allows apps to pay for your network fees or batch transactions together to help you save on network fees.  For more information, check out EIP-5792: Wallet Call API.

Difference between smart wallet and Coinbase Wallet or extension

Smart wallet allows you to create a wallet without installing an extension or app. You can link your Coinbase account to send your ETH balances onchain without pre-funding your wallet (currently limited to ETH for transactions on Base), interact with sites and apps that sponsor your network fees, and use your wallet across apps.

Smart wallet (a passkey-based wallet) only supports EVM networks. If you need Bitcoin, Solana, or other non-EVM assets, you can create or import an email/social log-in wallet or mnemonic wallet in the same Coinbase Wallet app and switch to it using the wallet switcher; you no longer need a separate app or extension for this.

The Coinbase Wallet extension does not support smart wallet.

Supported chains on smart wallet

Smart wallet supports these low-cost chains:

• Optimism

• Arbitrum

• Polygon

• Avalanche C-Chain 

We support Ethereum Mainnet but recommend using networks like Base to save on network fees.

Note: Smart wallet supports EVM-compatible chains only. To transact on Bitcoin or Solana, add and use an email/social log-in wallet or mnemonic wallet from the wallet switcher instead.

Ethereum network fees for smart wallet compared to Coinbase Wallet or extension

On the Ethereum network, network fees for onchain transactions made using a smart wallet are generally higher than those made using a Base wallet due to smart contract usage. This means each transaction incurs more network fees (also known as gas). Smart contracts enable features like easily sending funds in your linked Coinbase account to pay for onchain transactions, or having apps sponsor network fees. But, they also increase costs per transaction. On low-cost networks like Base this difference is typically small, but on Ethereum it can be expensive.

To avoid high network fees, we recommend using your smart wallet on low-cost networks like Base, Optimism, or Polygon, rather than directly on Ethereum. For dapps or assets only accessible on Ethereum, use the Chrome extension or mobile app.

Purchasing Bitcoin or using the Solana blockchain

To purchase Bitcoin, or use the Solana blockchain, add or switch to an email/social log-in wallet or mnemonic wallet from the wallet switcher in your Coinbase Wallet. Both types of wallets support EVM, Solana, and Bitcoin.

Note that each wallet shows its own balances and assets. There's no combined balance view across wallets, so you'll need to switch your active wallet to view holdings specific to that wallet.

Smart wallet vs. other wallet types

You can have up to 10 wallets in Coinbase Wallet at a time (created and imported combined), and can check which type a given wallet is from that wallet's settings page. Smart wallets and mnemonic wallets that don't have an email or social sign-in method attached can't be recovered if you lose your passkey or recovery phrase — back these up carefully.

Learn more about switching between wallets and adding new ones in Managing wallets in Coinbase Wallet.