By PredictQ Team // Updated: July 2026
Budget 10-15 minutes for the full Coinbase Predict signup, including identity verification and the financial questionnaire that federal law requires for derivatives accounts. If you already have a Coinbase account, you’re most of the way there; adding Predict takes a few extra verification steps. New users run the full flow below.
What to Have Ready
An iOS or Android device, or a desktop browser (Predict works on both mobile and web)
An email address you can access
A phone that receives SMS
A government-issued photo ID (driver’s license or passport)
Your full Social Security Number
Answers for the derivatives questionnaire: estimated income, net worth, source of funds, and investment experience
A funding source: an existing Coinbase USD/USDC balance, or a debit card, bank account, or PayPal to fund one
You must be 18+ and a U.S. resident
Step 1: Start the Sign-Up
Click to start the sign-up process. Affiliate tracking for the general Coinbase welcome bonus applies automatically.
Step 2: Pick App or Web
Grab the Coinbase app from the iOS App Store or Google Play, or register at Coinbase.com. Both support Predict.
Step 3: Create Your Account (or Sign In)
New to Coinbase? Provide your legal name, email, a strong password, date of birth (18+ required), home address, phone number, and full SSN.
Already a customer? Sign in normally and skip ahead; the app walks you through the Predict-specific steps.
Step 4: Verify Phone and Email
Enter the SMS code Coinbase texts you, then click the verification link in your email. Two minutes, done.
Step 5: Identity Verification
Standard Coinbase KYC for new users: clear photos of your government ID, address verification if requested, and occasionally a liveness selfie. Most people clear it in minutes.
Step 6: Open the Predict Section
Find Predict (or Predictions) inside the app or website. For new accounts it unlocks after standard KYC plus one more step, which brings us to the part that surprises people.
Step 7: The Financial Questionnaire
Predict is a CFTC-regulated derivatives product, so Coinbase must collect information a crypto signup never asks for: employment status and occupation, an income range, estimated net worth, your source of trading funds, and your prior experience with stocks, options, or futures.
Don’t overthink it. Answer honestly and reasonably. This is the same suitability requirement every regulated derivatives account in America carries, from futures brokers to Kalshi itself. It gates nothing for most normal answers.
Step 8: Fund Your Predictions Balance
Predict runs on a separate balance from your main Coinbase wallet. Two scenarios:
If you hold USD or USDC on Coinbase already, transfer whatever you want to trade with into the predictions balance. Instant and free.
If your Coinbase balance is empty, fund it first via ACH (free), debit card (fees may apply), PayPal, Apple Pay in some regions, or wire. Then move funds over.
The minimum trade is $1, so a small starting balance is fine. Start smaller than you think you need.
Step 9: Place Your First Trade
Browse markets by category: Sports, Politics, Crypto, Economics, Culture, Collectibles. Tap a market to see the Yes and No prices, pick your side, and enter a stake. The app shows contracts and potential payout, then displays the fee on the review screen. Look at that fee line before confirming; Coinbase charges more than Kalshi direct on the same trade, and the preview is the only place you’ll see the number. Confirm, and the position lands in your portfolio.
Step 10: Manage the Position
You have two exits. Hold to settlement, where winners pay $1.00 per contract minus fees and losers pay zero. Or sell early through cash-out at the current market price, available on most markets. Settlement typically completes within 24 hours of the event, with payouts hitting your predictions balance minutes later.
Step 11: Lock Down the Account
Before you close the app: enable two-factor authentication, set up Coinbase’s withdrawal whitelisting, review the responsible play settings, and double-check the financial information you entered.
What You End Up With
A funded predictions account with event contracts across sports, politics, crypto, economics, and culture. A $1 trade minimum. Cash-out on most markets. Settlement inside a day. And if you make a $50+ crypto purchase within a year of signup, eligibility for Coinbase’s general wheel-spin bonus of $30 to $2,000 in BTC (nearly all spins pay $30-$100).
One caveat worth repeating: sports contracts are blocked or contested in a few states as courts sort out the federal-versus-state fight, so the market list you see depends on where you’re standing. The app’s eligibility check handles it automatically.
That’s the whole process. Fifteen minutes from download to first contract. If you haven’t started yet, do it.
Disclosures: PredictQ may receive compensation when readers sign up for platforms through links on this page. Information accurate as of July 2026. Coinbase Predict is operated by Coinbase Financial Markets, with trades routing through Kalshi. Trading event contracts involves significant risk and is not appropriate for all participants. This content is for informational purposes only. Must be 18 or older. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.