Crypto gifts

You can send crypto as a gift to your friends or family. 

Before you gift crypto:

  • Recipients must live in a country where cryptocurrency conversions are enabled in order to claim the crypto gift

  • Coinbase customers based in Japan will not be able to send crypto gifts at this time; however, they can receive crypto gifts 

  • Crypto can only be sent as a gift to an email address

  • Crypto gifts cannot be reversed if they're sent to an active account 

  • Double-check the recipient email address before sending crypto as a gift

How do I send crypto as a gift?

To send crypto as a gift:

  1. Tap hamburger > Send a gift (mobile) or click Send a gift from the menu on the left-hand side (web).

  2. Enter the asset you’d like to send.

  3. Enter the amount of crypto you want to send, then select Continue.

  4. Enter the recipient’s email address.

  5. Choose a card design and add a note.

    • The designs are templates, not NFTs    

  6. Select Gift now to send your gift. 

Can I reverse a crypto gift?

If you send a crypto gift to an active Coinbase account and the gift is accepted, you cannot reverse the gift. However, once the recipient's account is verified, they can send the gift back to you.

If you send the gift to the wrong email address, it's possible the you may be able to cancel the gift. See details below.

Are there any restrictions on the type of crypto I can send as a gift?

You can send any supported cryptocurrency as a gift. Visit our Explore page to see whether an asset is supported/tradable or not.

Where can I see the crypto gifts I’ve received or sent?

Select My assets and choose the asset that was gifted to view the complete transaction history. 

When you select the transaction, you'll see: 

  • The recipient (or sender’s name if you are the recipient)

  • Price per coin (which is the cash value of the gifted amount) 

  • Date

  • Status

  • Note 

  • Card design

To view a crypto gift with the animation like you first sent or received it, go to your Notifications and open the gift message. 

Can I upload my own greeting card design? 

You can only use the designs available in the app at this time.

I sent a crypto gift to the wrong email address

Depending on the status of your send, you may be able to cancel your crypto gift. Select the asset you sent, then select the specific transaction to open the details and select Cancel Send.

Any cryptocurrency sent via email that is not been claimed will be returned to your Coinbase account after 30 days. If it’s been more than 30 days and you have not received a refund, please contact Coinbase Support

If you sent crypto to the wrong email address and the email address belongs to an active Coinbase account, then you won't be able to recover your funds. 

I sent a crypto gift to someone in a country where Coinbase isn’t supported. How do I get my funds back?

You can cancel your send. Otherwise, after 30 days, the gift amount will be cancelled and returned to your Coinbase account. 

How to claim your crypto gift 

  • If you’re already a Coinbase customer: When you open your crypto gift from your email, the crypto sent to you will be immediately available in your account.

  • If you’re not a Coinbase customer: You’ll have to create a Coinbase account and verify your identity in order to claim your crypto gift. Additionally, you must live in a country where cryptocurrency conversions are enabled in order to claim your crypto—see our list of supported countries to see the features available in your country. 

Note: Recipients in countries where Coinbase is not supported will not be able to create an account or claim their gift.

How do I know that the crypto gift email notification I received is legitimate?

A crypto gift email notification will come from no-reply@coinbase.com. Plus, we recommend double-checking that you’re familiar with who sent you the gift. 

If you encounter any scams, please report them to Coinbase Support.

Troubleshooting tips

If you’re having issues sending or receiving a crypto gift, try the following steps to fix the issue:

  • Make sure that you’re using the latest version of the Coinbase mobile app. 

  • Ensure that the asset you’re trying to send as a gift is supported by Coinbase in their region.

  • Double-check that the recipient has completed identity verification. If you get the error message: "You are currently unable to send to this user,” this means that your recipient has created a Coinbase account but has not verified their identity.

Taxes

Giving crypto or receiving crypto gifts does not trigger a taxable event, but there are certain factors that will determine whether or not you need to pay taxes.

Senders

For US customers, if you give more than $15,000 per recipient in the calendar year then you are required to file a gift tax return.  

Recipients

Receiving crypto as a gift isn’t a taxable event. But if you sell the crypto that was given to you as a gift, then your cost basis may be the same as the person who gifted you the crypto or the fair market value at the time you were given the crypto. Learn more about crypto taxes.