Coinbase Developer Platform (CDP) is a suite of tools, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and infrastructure services provided by Coinbase to enable developers to build cryptocurrency-based applications. The platform offers solutions for wallet creation, payments, trading, data access, and on-chain development, leveraging Coinbase's existing infrastructure, security, and compliance frameworks. [1] [2]
The Coinbase Developer Platform is positioned as a foundational infrastructure layer for the on-chain economy, designed to simplify the complexities of blockchain development. The platform's stated mission is to "bring the world onchain" by providing developers with an easy-to-use and trusted experience, aiming to abstract away challenges related to security, scalability, and user experience. [3] [4] It serves a wide range of users, from individual builders to large enterprises, by offering distinct API sets tailored to consumer, business, and institutional use cases. [2]
The platform's value proposition is built on leveraging the broader Coinbase ecosystem, including its exchange liquidity, custody solutions, and brand recognition. It emphasizes providing secure and audited infrastructure, citing that its services are used by over 250 banks, fintechs, and crypto companies. [1] CDP actively engages with the developer community through initiatives such as the CDP Ambassador Program, builder grants for projects using its tools, and participation in hackathons. [5]
The Coinbase Developer Platform is a modular ecosystem composed of various distinct products, APIs, and SDKs that developers can integrate individually. The components are organized by function to support different aspects of on-chain application development. [2]
CDP provides a comprehensive suite of Wallet-as-a-Service (WaaS) solutions for creating and managing user wallets.
For Blocklords Dynasty, CDP’s Paymaster enables gasless onboarding—helping the game support over 1.2 million wallets, 50M+ in-game transactions, and 250,000+ daily users without requiring users to manage wallets manually. [13]
In FereAI, CDP’s Server Wallets replaced fragmented wallet management. With a chain-agnostic, API-driven wallet layer and secure key storage, FereAI saw a 5x boost in agent throughput, zero key management incidents, and 90% faster onboarding for new strategies. [14]
CDP’s Embedded Wallets let users trade onchain directly within the Coinbase interface. Wallets are automatically provisioned (no seed phrases), enabling a frictionless self-custodial experience that blends centralized UI with decentralized asset control. [15]
CDP Founders Fuel is a selective support initiative by Coinbase Developer Platform aimed at assisting technical founders, small teams, or solo developers in transitioning from working prototypes to fully launched products. The program offers selected teams up to $15,000 in CDP and Paymaster credits, $5,000 in AWS Activate credits, 1:1 access with CDP product leads for technical feedback, go-to-market (GTM) support, early access to new platform features, and inclusion in the CDP Builder Showcase for social amplification. To be eligible, applicants must have a functioning app, plan to launch publicly within three months, and are integrating one or more CDP tools. [16]