Onramp vs Coinbase Custody — Head-to-Head Custody Comparison

An independent, data-driven comparison of Onramp and Coinbase Custody across security, insurance, fees, regulatory compliance, and more.

Verdict

Quick Verdict

Onramp scores 8.7 vs Coinbase Custody's 8.2. Onramp leads in 5 of 8 categories.

Onramp is better suited for Family offices, RIAs, HNW individuals. Coinbase Custody is better suited for ETF issuers, Hedge funds, Asset managers.

8.7

Very GoodCustody Score

Onramp

8.2

Very GoodCustody Score

Coinbase Custody

Scores

Score Comparison

Weighted scores across all 8 custody criteria.

Criterion	Weight	Onramp	Coinbase Custody	Winner
Security	20%	9.5	9.0	Onramp
Insurance	15%	9.0	8.0	Onramp
Regulatory	15%	8.5	9.5	Coinbase Custody
Fee Transparency	10%	7.5	7.0	Onramp
Track Record	15%	8.0	8.5	Coinbase Custody
Withdrawal Flexibility	10%	8.5	7.5	Onramp
Reporting & Audit	10%	8.5	9.0	Coinbase Custody
Counterparty Diversification	5%	10.0	2.0	Onramp
Overall Score	100%	8.7	8.2	Onramp

Visual

Score Radar

Visual overlay of Onramp and Coinbase Custody across all categories.

OnrampCoinbase Custody

Deep Dive

Category-by-Category Analysis

A deeper look at how each provider performs in every scoring criterion.

Security (9.5 vs 9.0)

Onramp uses Multi-institution distributed key management with Varies by underlying custodian in cold storage and regular penetration testing. Compliance: Via underlying custodians (SOC 1 & SOC 2). Incident history: No incidents.

Coinbase Custody uses Proprietary cold storage key management with 98%+ cold storage in cold storage and regular penetration testing. Compliance: SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 2 Type 2. Incident history: No custody-specific breaches. Coinbase exchange has had minor incidents..

Insurance (9.0 vs 8.0)

Onramp offers Aggregate coverage across multiple custodian insurance policies via Multiple (via underlying custodians). Each underlying custodian maintains their own insurance. Combined coverage exceeds single-custodian limits.

Coinbase Custody offers Significant coverage (exact amount not publicly disclosed) via Multiple carriers. Crime insurance covering theft from breach of physical or cyber security. Coinbase publicly listed — financial transparency via SEC filings.

Regulatory (8.5 vs 9.5)

Onramp holds State money transmitter licenses and is a qualified custodian operating in United States. Regulated through underlying custodian partnerships with qualified custodians

Coinbase Custody holds New York BitLicense, NY Trust Charter (Coinbase Custody Trust Company) and is a qualified custodian operating in United States. Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC is a fiduciary under New York State Banking Law. Publicly traded (COIN) providing financial transparency.

Fee Transparency (7.5 vs 7.0)

Onramp charges Contact for pricing in annual custody fees with 0.50% per trade (brokerage) per transaction. Also offers Onramp Finance: lowest-cost Bitcoin brokerage at 50bps, 5% APY on cash, 1.5% cashback card

Coinbase Custody charges 0.50% AUM (50bps) — tiered for large balances in annual custody fees with Varies per transaction. Pricing negotiable for large institutional clients. ETF custodian arrangements have separate terms.

Track Record (8.0 vs 8.5)

Onramp was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Austin, TX. AUM: $1B+. Incident history: No incidents.

Coinbase Custody was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA (Coinbase Global). AUM: $300B+ (Coinbase platform total). Incident history: No custody-specific breaches. Coinbase exchange has had minor incidents..

Withdrawal Flexibility (8.5 vs 7.5)

Onramp withdrawal fees: Contact for pricing. Minimum account: $100,000. Supported assets: Bitcoin.

Coinbase Custody withdrawal fees: Network fees + processing fee. Minimum account: $500,000. Supported assets: Bitcoin, Ethereum, 400+ assets.

Reporting & Audit (8.5 vs 9.0)

Onramp: SOC compliance is Via underlying custodians (SOC 1 & SOC 2). As a qualified custodian, it meets SEC reporting requirements.

Coinbase Custody: SOC compliance is SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 2 Type 2. As a qualified custodian, it meets SEC reporting requirements.

Counterparty Diversification (10.0 vs 2.0)

Onramp is a multi-institution custody provider. Key management: Multi-institution distributed custody — keys and assets spread across multiple independent regulated custodians (BitGo, Coinbase, Fidelity, etc.).

Coinbase Custody is a qualified custodian provider. Key management: Proprietary cold storage with multi-layer security. Air-gapped signing infrastructure..

Fees

Fee Comparison

Side-by-side fee breakdown for Onramp and Coinbase Custody.

Fee Type	Onramp	Coinbase Custody
Setup Fee	Contact for pricing	$10,000 one-time
Annual Custody	Contact for pricing	0.50% AUM (50bps) — tiered for large balances
Transaction	0.50% per trade (brokerage)	Varies
Withdrawal	Contact for pricing	Network fees + processing fee

Onramp: Also offers Onramp Finance: lowest-cost Bitcoin brokerage at 50bps, 5% APY on cash, 1.5% cashback card

Coinbase Custody: Pricing negotiable for large institutional clients. ETF custodian arrangements have separate terms.

Features

Feature Comparison

Checklist of features across both providers.

Feature	Onramp	Coinbase Custody
1.5% cashback card	✓	✗
5% APY on cash balances	✓	✗
Bitcoin brokerage services (Onramp Finance)	✓	✗
Cold storage for 400+ assets	✗	✓
Custodian for major Bitcoin ETFs	✗	✓
Dedicated account management	✗	✓
Institutional-grade security and compliance	✓	✗
Integration with Coinbase Prime for trading	✗	✓
Multi-Institution Custody across multiple regulated custodians	✓	✗
No single point of failure	✓	✗
Regulatory reporting and compliance tools	✗	✓
Staking (governance participation from cold storage)	✗	✓
White-glove onboarding for institutions	✓	✗

Recommendation

Who Should Choose Which?

Onramp is better if you…

✓Are a family offices
✓Are a rias
✓Are a hnw individuals
✓Are a institutions
✓Want: Only provider offering true multi-institution custody — no single point of failure
✓Want: Aggregated insurance coverage exceeds any single custodian
✓Want: $1B+ in assets under custody demonstrates institutional trust

Coinbase Custody is better if you…

✓Are a etf issuers
✓Are a hedge funds
✓Are a asset managers
✓Are a institutions
✓Want: Custodian for BlackRock, Fidelity, and other major ETFs — ultimate institutional validation
✓Want: Publicly traded company — financial transparency via SEC filings
✓Want: SOC 1 & SOC 2 Type 2 compliant

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Onramp or Coinbase Custody better for Bitcoin custody?

Onramp scores 8.7 vs 8.2 in our weighted Custody Score. Onramp leads in 5 of 8 scoring categories. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs: Onramp is best for Family offices and RIAs, while Coinbase Custody suits ETF issuers and Hedge funds.

What is the difference between Onramp and Coinbase Custody?

Onramp is a multi-institution custody provider, while Coinbase Custody is a qualified custodian provider. Onramp excels in Counterparty Diversification, whereas Coinbase Custody is strongest in Regulatory.

How do Onramp and Coinbase Custody fees compare?

Onramp charges Contact for pricing annual custody fees with 0.50% per trade (brokerage) transaction fees. Coinbase Custody charges 0.50% AUM (50bps) — tiered for large balances annual custody fees with Varies transaction fees.

Which is more secure, Onramp or Coinbase Custody?

Onramp scores 9.5/10 for security while Coinbase Custody scores 9.0/10. Onramp uses Multi-institution distributed key management, and Coinbase Custody uses Proprietary cold storage.