How to get private key of a coinbase account?

[erikalui]

I have a one year old coinbase account but have no clue how to export the wallet and get the private key. I tried combining this wallet with my blockchain account but it asked me again for a private key which I don't have. Can anybody help?

[tl121]

I have a one year old coinbase account but have no clue how to export the wallet and get the private key. I tried combining this wallet with my blockchain account but it asked me again for a private key which I don't have. Can anybody help?

There is no reason to export the Coinbase wallet or know the private key(s).  All you have to do is create a new wallet, obtain a new address in this wallet for receiving coins and then log in to Coinbase and send your btc to this new address.  This is the easiest and most secure way of moving your btc.

[syskall]

As far as I know, this is not possible because Coinbase doesn't hold each user's fund in distinct private keys. Rather, every user's balance is mixed up together and some percentage of that total balance is actually in "cold storage". If you want to own your private keys, you will have to make a transaction from Coinbase to an address you control.

[justusranvier]

A Coinbase account isn't a wallet.

You don't have any private keys - they do.

That number you see listed as your balance is the amount of Coinbase's bitcoins they promise to spend on your behalf.

If you want to actually own Bitcoins, you need to use a Bitcoin wallet.

It's unfortunate that rampant false advertising in this space has resulted in new users not understanding that difference between a Bitcoin wallet and a Bitcoin bank account.

[Aswan]

A Coinbase account isn't a wallet.

You don't have any private keys - they do.

That number you see listed as your balance is the amount of Coinbase's bitcoins they promise to spend on your behalf.

If you want to actually own Bitcoins, you need to use a Bitcoin wallet.

It's unfortunate that rampant false advertising in this space has resulted in new users not understanding that difference between a Bitcoin wallet and a Bitcoin bank account.

Or between actually owning bitcoins or not owning any. =/

[erikalui]

A Coinbase account isn't a wallet.

You don't have any private keys - they do.

That number you see listed as your balance is the amount of Coinbase's bitcoins they promise to spend on your behalf.

If you want to actually own Bitcoins, you need to use a Bitcoin wallet.

It's unfortunate that rampant false advertising in this space has resulted in new users not understanding that difference between a Bitcoin wallet and a Bitcoin bank account.

Thanks for the info. I did not know that Coinbase was not a wallet as I opened it to transfer BTC to my bank account and then realized that it is only dealing with US accounts. Then I opened a Blockchain wallet and added the coinbase BTC address to it but required a private key to add those bitcoins. I guess I will need to get those bitcoins withdrawn to another BTC address.

[Aswan]

A Coinbase account isn't a wallet.

You don't have any private keys - they do.

That number you see listed as your balance is the amount of Coinbase's bitcoins they promise to spend on your behalf.

If you want to actually own Bitcoins, you need to use a Bitcoin wallet.

It's unfortunate that rampant false advertising in this space has resulted in new users not understanding that difference between a Bitcoin wallet and a Bitcoin bank account.

Thanks for the info. I did not know that Coinbase was not a wallet as I opened it to transfer BTC to my bank account and then realized that it is only dealing with US accounts. Then I opened a Blockchain wallet and added the coinbase BTC address to it but required a private key to add those bitcoins. I guess I will need to get those bitcoins withdrawn to another BTC address.

Exactly, you will need to withdraw them to another address, preferably not again one you are not the sole owner of the private key of.

[Gio344]

That isn't possible, Coinbase isn't like blockchain where you address is your address, coinbase mixes users funds collectively and stores them in cold wallets (and if you notice your withdrawal request comes from a cluster of addresses not the deposit one in your profile).
So basically they own the bitcoin address and you merely "rent" it...

[jonald_fyookball]

A Coinbase account isn't a wallet.

You don't have any private keys - they do.

That number you see listed as your balance is the amount of Coinbase's bitcoins they promise to spend on your behalf.

If you want to actually own Bitcoins, you need to use a Bitcoin wallet.

It's unfortunate that rampant false advertising in this space has resulted in new users not understanding that difference between a Bitcoin wallet and a Bitcoin bank account.

Agreed.   Coinbase calls themselves a wallet on their homepage.  A coinbase account as currently implemented isnt a wallet.

[deluxeCITY]

When you send bitcoin from your coinbase account the inputs will almost certainly not come from any of the addresses that coinbase displays. All of your addresses are only receiving addresses, not spending addresses.

Coinbase is not going to give you the private keys to your receiving address(es). If you want to control your bitcoin 100% then you will need to create a new address that you control the private keys of and withdraw your bitcoin to that address

[Chef Ramsay]

I would say that a coinbase 'wallet' is in fact one for all intents and purposes for those new to bitcoin and wanting an easy method to buy, sell or hold bitcoin. From there and as one becomes more savvy should they choose, they can then send their balance to another real wallet of their choosing. Even for the bitcoin pros, having one's bank account hooked up to their coinbase account allows for easy selling of bitcoin for FRNs in the event of another bubble should they choose. Finally, it's services like coinbase and others around the world that will allow easy access to the market when the price makes a move and people start panic buying via the eventual media hype.

[ticoti]

you can't get the private key of an account that you are already using but you can create an account which you control the private key

[galbros]

A Coinbase account isn't a wallet.

You don't have any private keys - they do.

That number you see listed as your balance is the amount of Coinbase's bitcoins they promise to spend on your behalf.

If you want to actually own Bitcoins, you need to use a Bitcoin wallet.

It's unfortunate that rampant false advertising in this space has resulted in new users not understanding that difference between a Bitcoin wallet and a Bitcoin bank account.

Agreed.   Coinbase calls themselves a wallet on their homepage.  A coinbase account as currently implemented isnt a wallet.

Yes, I just recently discovered this myself when I went to try and collect some clams.  I had been sucked in to thinking my wallet at coinbase was a wallet, just like blockchain.info but it is not.

Like Ramsey, I appreciate what coinbase does to help bitcoin adoption, but I wish they were more clear about this aspect of their service.  Also I don't see why they wont let OP transfer his coins out without linking a bank account.

[deluxeCITY]

I would say that a coinbase 'wallet' is in fact one for all intents and purposes for those new to bitcoin and wanting an easy method to buy, sell or hold bitcoin. From there and as one becomes more savvy should they choose, they can then send their balance to another real wallet of their choosing. Even for the bitcoin pros, having one's bank account hooked up to their coinbase account allows for easy selling of bitcoin for FRNs in the event of another bubble should they choose. Finally, it's services like coinbase and others around the world that will allow easy access to the market when the price makes a move and people start panic buying via the eventual media hype.

There are some situations when it would be more appropriate to store your bitcoin at a service like coinbase (that you trust) instead of controlling your private keys directly. One example of this is if you have a non-government attacker (or potential attacker) who has close contact with you - one example of this would be if you have roommates that you do not trust, who may be able to access an encrypted wallet file. 

[keithers]

I still use coinbase all the time for small purchases and storing small amounts that I am going to be spending. To manage private keys I think would be the next step that you would take after you get comfortable using btc. Jumping right into handling all that right out of the gates would have been intimidating for me.

[sandykho47]

Looks like they won't let you know your private address 
If you really want it, you better change to another wallet like blockchain.info / hive

[keithers]

I thought I remember reading that there was some sort of new classification on a division of their accounts where you could have access to the private key, but it was like a multi sig address, where they managed the other private key, or something like that...

[mordekaiser]

i just noticed i didnt even know this was a option lol.

edit - never mind, i guess coinbase doesnt do this but need to this on my own a new wallet address.

[Nami]

how come coinbase doesnt do this though as a extra service?

[ajw7989]

I believe they mentioned you can get the private key of the vault if you choose to use that service. They stated several times you do not get wallet address private keys due to security reasons