Were you in the space before Coinbase became big? Because I've had crypto exchanges get hacked and run away with my money. There was zero trust (for good reason) in any of the sites that let you buy crypto. Without Coinbase, this likely would still be a sketchy ecosystem that wasn't taken seriously. Coinbase was the first slick, trustworthy exchange based in the US. I personally am not very comfortable buying from foreign exchanges, and when I have to I move them out of those exchanges as fast as possible.

I think Coinbase was absolutely crucial in changing the public opinion of "buying bitcoin is for criminals" and "you just get hacked and lose it all".

Not very valuable opinion if you dont have any arguments.

Frankly I think crypto would be hardly anything like it is today without Coinbase. They made it accessible.

I used to buy my coins on MtGox, I am still waiting on the closure of that lawsuit in Japan.

Happy to have done business with Coinbase back in 2015..

Of course later on I looked for a better and cheaper exchange, but really, Coinbase helped Bitcoin grow as much as Bitcoin helped Coinbase grow...

Today Coinbase is just one of many faceless shitcoin casinos but they had their use, once upon a time...

Not really. The ship of a single exchange or wallet dominating Bitcoin or the crypto space has sailed. It's quite hard for Coinbase to have any significant control over the network. (ie: Bitpay tried that and now they are mostly history).

Coinbase provides a regulated environment for trading crypto-currencies as well as on-off ramps to traditional finance. It's definitively a plus to have them around.

Ideologically, sure, but practically? Not a chance. Coinbase was instrumental in helping Bitcoin achieve its current stature.

What's the reasoning behind your opinion?