Coinbase is facing a wave of social media criticism after users discovered the crypto exchange is restricting accounts using a VPN.

Coinbase has drawn criticism after users on social media said the exchange was restricting or flagging accounts that were accessed through a VPN. In coverage of the dispute, Coinbase product designer Scott Shapiro said the company’s risk systems treat VPN usage as a negative signal because attackers often use VPNs, even when the person logging in is the legitimate account holder. The backlash matters because it touches on a familiar tension in crypto: exchanges want stronger fraud controls, while users view VPNs as a privacy tool and, in some cases, a normal part of internet security. Critics have compared the policy to broader concerns about debanking and account access restrictions, while some defenders describe it as standard anti-fraud practice rather than a blanket ban on privacy tools.

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