Coinbase to charge fees and shut down some services

Still, transactions on-site between users will continue to be provided at no cost, the startup added. Instead, fee amounts will be given when a user is preparing to issue a transaction. Furthermore, the exchange outlined in a blog post other pending service changes, including the shutdown of a feature that enables account access by way of SMS.

The feature, which dates back to 2013, was more relevant in days before widespread smartphone use, and it is shifting away from the service in favour of its mobile-based apps, Coinbase said. The SMS tool will be taken offline on 21st March.

Coinbase is also shutting down a user payment page feature launched in mid-2014, citing the growth of its mobile app as an alternative.