Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, confirmed a widespread technical disruption on February 12, 2026, leaving users temporarily unable to buy, sell, or transfer digital assets on its primary Coinbase.com platform. The company announced the issue via its official Twitter support channel, stating, "We are aware that customers may be unable to buy, sell, or transfer on Coinbase.com at this time. Our team is investigating this issue and will provide an update. Your funds are safe."
The outage, which occurred on a day marked by significant trading volume, paralyzed core exchange functions. Users reported errors when attempting to execute market orders, initiate withdrawals to external wallets, or process deposits. Coinbase's engineering and customer support teams mobilized rapidly to diagnose and resolve the root cause, which was not immediately disclosed. The company emphasized the disruption was temporary and assured users there was no indication of long-term risk to accounts or funds.
The incident quickly garnered attention across the crypto community, with trackers like MilkRoad echoing Coinbase's statements. Some users expressed frustration on social media, noting the inability to execute trades could temporarily affect active positions, especially during periods of market volatility. Experts, however, pointed out that such disruptions are often resolved relatively quickly and typically do not result in financial loss when exchanges proactively secure user assets.
This event highlights the persistent challenges digital asset platforms face in maintaining seamless, high-availability services. Historically, similar outages at major exchanges have been linked to API gateway failures, database latency under high load, or issues with cloud infrastructure providers. Market data indicates that platform stability directly influences asset prices during volatile periods, as downtime at a major venue like Coinbase can temporarily reduce liquidity and exacerbate price swings on other trading platforms.
Coinbase's prompt and transparent communication reflects the industry's growing focus on operational resilience and user trust amid increased regulatory scrutiny. The company encouraged users to remain patient and monitor official channels for real-time updates on service restoration.
