Coinbase Pro: What Happened & How to Use Advanced Trade

What was Coinbase Pro?

Coinbase Pro, originally launched as GDAX (Global Digital Asset Exchange) in 2016, was Coinbase’s trading platform designed for more experienced cryptocurrency traders. While the standard Coinbase interface focused on simplicity i.e., making it easy for beginners to buy their first Bitcoin, Coinbase Pro catered to users who wanted more control over their trades.

Key Features That Made Coinbase Pro Popular

Lower Fees: The most compelling reason traders used Coinbase Pro was its maker-taker fee model, which was significantly cheaper than the standard Coinbase interface. While regular Coinbase charged fees up to 3.99% for credit card purchases and 1.49% for bank transfers, Coinbase Pro offered fees starting at just 0.6% for makers and 1.20% for takers, with discounts for higher trading volumes.

Advanced Order Types: Unlike the basic buy/sell interface on regular Coinbase, Pro allowed traders to place:

• Limit orders: Set your exact price for buying/selling.
• Stop orders: Automatically trigger trades when prices hit certain levels
• Market orders: Execute immediately at the current market price

Real-time Charts and Order Books: Traders could access professional-grade charting tools, view the order book depth, and analyze price movements before executing trades.

API Access: Developers and algorithmic traders could connect trading bots and third-party applications directly to their accounts through Coinbase Pro’s robust API. For years, the common advice among crypto enthusiasts was simple: use regular Coinbase to set up your account, then immediately switch to Coinbase Pro to save on fees. The platforms shared the same login credentials, making transfers between them instant and free.

What Happened to Coinbase Pro? The Transition Explained

The Timeline of Changes

• June 2022: Coinbase announced plans to sunset Coinbase Pro and migrate its features into a new “Advanced Trade” experience within the main Coinbase platform. The company stated this would create a more unified experience for all users.
• Late 2022–2023: Coinbase gradually rolled out Advance Trade features while maintaining Coinbase Pro as a standalone platform.
• November 9, 2023: Coinbase Pro was officially discontinued. The pro.coinbase.com domain now redirects to the Advanced Trade section within Coinbase.

Why Did Coinbase Make This Change?

According to Coinbase’s official announcement, the consolidation aimed to:

• Eliminate the confusion of maintaining two separate platforms.
• Allow users to access both simple and advanced trading from a single interface.
• Integrate new features like skating rewards directly into the trading experience.
• Streamline account management with one unified portfolio view.

What Happened to Your Account?

If you were a Coinbase Pro user, your transition was automatic:

• Funds: All balances were migrated to your main Coinbase account.

• Login credentials: Your username and password remained the same.

• Trade history: Your complete trading history was preserved.

• Whitelisted addresses: saved withdrawal addresses carried over

• Linked bank accounts: Payment methods remained connected.

• API keys: Legacy Pro API endpoints were disabled; new keys needed to generate under Advanced Trade settings

The transition meant you no longer needed to transfer funds between Coinbase and Pro. Everything now exists in one place.

Coinbase vs Coinbase Pro vs Advanced Trade: Understanding the Differences

To clarify the current landscape, here’s how the interfaces compare:

Who Should Use Which Interface?

Coinbase Simple Mode is ideal for:

• First-time cryptocurrency buyers
• Users making occasional purchases
• Those who prioritize simplicity over cost savings
• Investors using Coinbase’s “Learn and Earn” education features

Coinbase Advanced Trade is recommended for:

• Active traders executing frequent transactions
• Users who want to set specific buy/sell prices
• Traders who perform technical analysis
• Anyone looking to minimize fees on larger trades
• Developers using API integrations

The good news is you don’t have to choose permanently. You can switch between Simple and Advanced modes within the same Coinbase account at any time.

Coinbase Advanced Trade Features: Everything You Need to Know

Coinbase Advanced Trade inherits all the capabilities of the former Coinbase Pro while adding new features. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown:

TradingView Charting Integration

The standout improvement in Advanced Trade is professional-grade charting powered by TradingView, one of the most popular charting platforms among traders worldwide. This integration provides:

Over 50 Technical Indicators, including:

• Simple Moving Average (SMA) and Exponential Moving Average (EMA)
• Relative Strength Index (RSI)
• Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD)
• Bollinger Brands
• Ichimoky Cloud
• Volume indicators
• Fibonacci retracement tools

Drawing Tools for:

• Trendlines
• Support and resistance levels
• Channels
• Annotations

Multiple Timeframes: View price action from 1-minute candles to monthly charts, helping you analyze both short-term trades and long-term trends.

Order Types Explained

Market Orders: Execute immediately at the best available price. Use these when you want to buy or sell quickly and don’t mind paying the current market price.

Limit Orders: Specify the exact price at which you want to buy or sell. Your order remains on the book until the market reaches your price (or you cancel it). Limit orders that add liquidity to the market pay lower “maker” fees.

Stop-limit Orders: Combine stop and limit functionality. Set a “stop price” that triggers the order, then specify a “limit price” for execution. This is useful for:

• Setting stop-losses to limit potential losses
• Entering positions when price breaks certain levels
• Automating trades based on price movements

Trading Pairs and Markets

Coinbase Advanced Trade offers access to over 550 trading pairs, including:

• 237 USDC pairs: Trade directly against the stable dollar-pegged cryptocurrency.
• Major pairs: BTC-USD, ETH-USD, SOL-USD
• Cross-pairs: ETH-BTC, various altcoins combinations
• 22 stable pairs with 0% maker fees (like USDT-EUR, WBTC-BTC)

The Order Book and Depth Chart

The order book displays all open buy and sell orders at various price levels. Understanding it helps you:

• See where buying/selling pressure concentrates.
• Identify support and resistance levels based on order clusters.
• Gauge market liquidity for your intended trade size.

The depth chart visualizes the order book graphically:

• Green (left side): Buy orders (bids)
• Red (right side): Sell orders (asks)
• Walls: Large clusters of orders that may act as price barriers

Derivatives and Futures Trading

For eligible users (availability varies by region), Coinbase Advanced now offers perpetual futures trading contracts with leverage. This allows traders to:

• Control larger positions than their capital would normally allow
• Take both long (bullish) and short (bearish) positions
• Access leverage up to certain limits based on the asset

Coinbase Advanced Trade Fees: Complete 2025 Breakdown

Understanding fees is crucial for active traders. Coinbase Advanced uses a maker-taker fees model based on your trailing 30-day trading volume.

Fee Tier Structure

Maker vs Taker Explained

• Taker: When you place an order that executes immediately against existing orders on the book, you’re “taking” liquidity. Market orders are always taker orders. Limit orders that match immediately also pay taker fees.
• Maker: When you place a limit order that doesn’t immediately match and instead sits on the order book waiting to be filled, you’re “making” liquidity. Makers receive lower fees as a reward for adding liquidity to the market.

Special Fee Situations

Stable Pairs: Trading between stablecoins (like USDT/USDC) or between wrapped assets (WBTC/BTC) offers 0% maker fees and reduced taker fees (0.10%–0.45% based on tier).

No Subscription Fees: Unlike some competitors, Coinbase Advanced has no monthly subscription fee or minimum portfolio requirements.

Fee Upgrade Program

High-volume traders who use other exchanges can apply for Coinbase’s fee upgrade program. By providing proof of trading volume (over $500k monthly) on competing platforms, you may qualify for lower fee tiers immediately rather than building up volume on Coinbase first.

Comparing to Standard Coinbase Fees

Standard Coinbase charges a spread (typically around 0.50%) plus additional fees ranging from $0.99 to $2.99 for small purchases, or up to 1.49% for larger transactions. For a $1000 purchase:

For active traders making multiple transactions per month, the savings from using Advanced Trade add up significantly.

How to Use Coinbase Advanced Trade: Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Advanced Trade

On Web:

• Log into your Coinbase account at coinbase.com
• Click on “Trade” in the top navigation
• Select “Advanced” or go directly to coinbase.com/advanced-trade

On Mobile:

• Open the Coinbase app
• Tap the trade icon
• Toggle “Advanced” mode from the menu

Navigating the Trading Interface

The Advanced Trade interface displays several key components:

Left Panel:

• Trading pair selector
• Order entry form
• Account balances

Center:

• Price chart with TradingView tools
• Timeframe selector

Right Panel:

• Order book
• Recent trades
• Your open orders

Placing Your First Advanced Trade

Example: Buying Bitcoin with a Limit Order

1. Select the trading pair: Choose BTC-USD from the pair selector
2. Choose order type: Select “Limit”
3. Enter your price: If Bitcoin is trading at $43,000 and you want to buy at $42,500, enter 42,500 in the price field
4. Enter the amount: Specify how much BTC you want to buy or the USD amount you want to spend
5. Review the order: Check the estimated total including fees
6. Place the order: Click “Place Buy Order”

Your limit order will appear in “Open Orders” and execute automatically when (and if) the price reaches your target.

Using Stop-limit Orders

Stop-limit orders are useful for risk management. Here’s how to set one:

1. Select “Stop Limit” as the order type
2. Stop Price: The price that triggers your order (e.g., $40,000 if you want to sell when Bitcoin drops to that level)
3. Limit Price: The minimum acceptable price for execution (e.g., $39,900 to allow slight slippage)
4. Amount: How much to sell
5. Place the order

This creates an automated sell order that activates only if the price falls to your stop price.

Reading the Depth Chart

The depth chart shows cumulative orders to each price level:

• Steep walls indicate strong support (buy side) or resistance (sell side)
• Gradual slopes suggest more even order distribution

Large order clusters (“whales”) can significantly impact price if they execute

Coinbase Advanced API: For Developers and Bot Traders

If you previously used the Coinbase Pro API, important changes apply:

API Transition Details

• Legacy Pro API endpoints have been disabled.
• New API keys must be generated under the Advanced Trade section in your Coinbase account settings.
• Both REST and WebSocket protocols are supported.
• Full API documentation is available at docs.cdp.coinbase.com.

Common Migration Issues

If your trading bot stopped working after the Pro shutdown:

1. Log in to Coinbase.
2. Go to Settings → API.
3. Generate new API keys for Advanced Trade.
4. Update your bot configuration with new keys and endpoints.

The new API offers expanded functionality, including access to perpetual futures endpoints for eligible accounts.

Staking and Earning on Coinbase Advanced

One advantage of the unified platform is integrated staking – something Coinbase pro users previously had to access through the main Coinbase interface.

Available Staking Rewards

USDC Rewards Program

Coinbase periodically offers promotional rewards for USDC holders. Current programs may
include:
– Boosted USDC rewards for maintaining perpetual futures positions
– Standard USDC yield for holding balances
Rates change frequently  – check the Portfolio tab in your account for current offers.

Is Coinbase Advanced Trade Safe? Security Features

Coinbase is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: COIN) with robust security infrastructure

Account Protection

• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Required for all accounts
• Biometric login: Fingerprint and face recognition on mobile
• Hardware security key support: Yubikey and similar devices
• Address allowlisting: Restrict withdrawals to pre-approved addresses only

Asset Security

• Cold storage: Majority of customer funds held offline
• Insurance: Digital currency held online is insured against theft
• Regulatory compliance: Licensed money transmitter in the US

Best Practices

• Enable the highest level of 2FA available (hardware key > authenticator app > SMS)
• Use the address allow list feature if you regularly withdraw to the same wallets
• Monitor login notifications and enable withdrawal notifications
• Review connected apps and API keys periodically

How does Coinbase Advanced stack up against other trading platforms : Coinbase Advanced vs Kraken Pro

Coinbase Advantages:

• More intuitive interface
• Better mobile app experience
• Integrated staking and earn features
• Stronger brand recognition and regulatory standing in the US

Kraken Advantages:

• Lower fees at higher volume tiers
• More cryptocurrency pairs available
• Margin trading with higher leverage options

Coinbase Advanced vs Binance.US

Coinbase Advantages:

• Better regulatory compliance history
• More robust customer support
• Integrated with TradingView charts

Binance.US Advantages:

• Generally lower fees
• More advanced trading features
• Broader altcoin selection

When Coinbase Advanced Is the Better Choice

Choose Coinbase Advanced if you:

• Prioritize regulatory compliance and US-based support
• Want a single platform for simple and advanced trading
• Use staking and earning features
• Prefer TradingView integration
• Value the brand security of a public company