Coinbase Wallet has announced it will cease support for four major cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Stellar (XLM), and Ripple’s XRP Ledger (XRP). The change, effective January 2023, stems from low user engagement across these networks, according to an official notice published on Coinbase’s support website.
This move doesn’t mean the tokens are being banned or erased—users retain full ownership of their assets. However, managing these tokens through Coinbase Wallet after the delisting date will no longer be possible unless users transition to alternative non-custodial wallet solutions that continue to support the respective blockchains.
👉 Discover how to securely manage your crypto beyond wallet delistings.
Why Are These Tokens Being Delisted?
The decision was driven primarily by low usage metrics. While all four digital assets gained prominence during the 2017 crypto bull run, their adoption has plateaued or declined in recent years. According to CoinDesk, Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum Classic have seen significant erosion in market share compared to more dominant Layer 1 and smart contract platforms.
Despite XRP maintaining a strong position as the seventh-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and 24-hour trading volume (per CoinGecko data), its inclusion in the delisting list highlights that even mid-to-high cap tokens aren’t immune to platform-specific pruning if user activity doesn’t align with infrastructure costs.
Here's a quick overview of each affected token:
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH) – Rank #29
A fork of Bitcoin aimed at faster transactions and lower fees, but has struggled to gain widespread merchant adoption. - Ethereum Classic (ETC) – Rank #25
The original Ethereum chain that continued after the DAO hack, preserving immutability over governance flexibility. - Stellar (XLM) – Rank #28
Focused on cross-border payments and financial inclusion, often used in remittance corridors. - XRP (XRP Ledger) – Rank #7
Designed for fast, low-cost international money transfers, frequently associated with Ripple Labs’ legal battles.
Although these networks remain active and functional, wallet providers like Coinbase must balance technical maintenance with user demand. Supporting lesser-used blockchains increases operational complexity without proportional returns in user engagement.
What Happens to My Assets?
A critical point emphasized in Coinbase’s announcement is that users do not lose access to their funds. Any BCH, ETC, XLM, or XRP held in a Coinbase Wallet remains secured on the blockchain under the user’s private keys.
However, once support ends:
- You won’t be able to view these assets directly within the Coinbase Wallet interface.
- You cannot send or receive these tokens using the app.
- If you attempt to receive any of these assets into your Coinbase Wallet address post-delisting, they will still arrive on-chain—but you won’t see them in your wallet unless you import your seed phrase into a compatible wallet later.
To regain visibility and control, users must:
- Export or securely back up their recovery phrase.
- Import it into another non-custodial wallet that supports the relevant network (e.g., Trust Wallet, MetaMask for ETC, or XUMM for XRP).
- Use that wallet to manage, transfer, or trade the assets.
👉 Learn how to safely migrate your crypto holdings to a new wallet.
Impact on Coinbase.com and Exchange Services
Importantly, this delisting only affects Coinbase Wallet, the self-custody mobile and browser extension product. It does not impact trading or custody services on the main Coinbase exchange platform (Coinbase.com or the Coinbase app).
This means:
- You can still buy, sell, and trade BCH, ETC, XLM, and XRP on Coinbase.com.
- Balances held on the centralized exchange remain unaffected.
- Withdrawals to external wallets are still supported—just ensure the receiving wallet accepts these tokens.
Users who prefer custodial services may choose to keep their holdings on Coinbase.com rather than managing private keys themselves.
Consumer Adoption Trends in Cryptocurrency
Despite the delisting, consumer interest in cryptocurrency usage for real-world transactions persists. According to a PYMNTS study conducted in collaboration with BitPay:
- Only 3% of surveyed consumers hold Bitcoin Cash, and 2% own Stellar (XLM).
- 66% have used crypto-based debit or gift cards for in-store purchases.
- 26% are highly interested in using crypto when merchants offer rewards or discounts.
- Among high-income earners, 14% strongly prefer businesses that accept digital currencies.
These findings suggest that while niche assets like BCH and XLM have limited ownership, broader crypto utility—especially around payments—is gaining traction. Wallet providers may increasingly prioritize tokens with higher utility or integration potential in DeFi, NFTs, or payment ecosystems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
❓ Will I lose my crypto if it’s delisted from Coinbase Wallet?
No. Your assets remain on the blockchain. You retain control via your recovery phrase and can access them using other compatible wallets.
❓ Can I still trade XRP or Bitcoin Cash on Coinbase?
Yes. Trading and storage on Coinbase.com (the exchange) are unaffected. Only the self-custody Coinbase Wallet app is removing support.
❓ How do I move my unsupported tokens to another wallet?
- Retrieve your 12- or 24-word recovery phrase from Coinbase Wallet.
- Install a non-custodial wallet that supports the token (e.g., Trust Wallet, Exodus, or XUMM for XRP).
- Restore the wallet using your recovery phrase.
- Confirm your balance and initiate transfers as needed.
❓ Is this a sign that these cryptocurrencies are failing?
Not necessarily. Delisting reflects usage trends within a specific platform, not the overall health of the network. XRP, for example, remains widely used in institutional payment solutions despite reduced retail visibility.
❓ Why did Coinbase keep some smaller tokens but drop these four?
Wallet providers evaluate multiple factors: security audits, developer activity, community size, transaction volume, and integration complexity. Even relatively large tokens may be removed if internal usage data shows minimal interaction.
Preparing for Future Wallet Changes
As the crypto ecosystem evolves, wallet providers will continue refining supported networks based on user behavior and technological advancements. Staying informed about such updates helps avoid accidental loss of access.
Best practices include:
- Regularly auditing which networks your wallet supports.
- Keeping recovery phrases offline and secure.
- Diversifying tools—don’t rely solely on one wallet interface.
- Monitoring official announcements from wallet providers.
👉 Stay ahead with tools that support a wide range of digital assets and evolving blockchain standards.
Final Thoughts
The delisting of Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum Classic, Stellar, and XRP from Coinbase Wallet marks a shift toward prioritizing high-engagement assets in self-custody environments. While inconvenient for some users, it reflects a maturing industry where efficiency and user experience guide platform decisions.
For holders of affected tokens, the key takeaway is empowerment through knowledge: understanding self-custody principles ensures long-term control regardless of third-party service changes.
By staying proactive and leveraging multi-platform tools, crypto users can navigate ecosystem shifts confidently—and securely.
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