Phantom vs Coinbase Wallet (formerly the Base app)
Phantom is the stronger choice for Solana, with native SOL staking, Ledger signing on mobile and Solana-first trading tools. Coinbase Wallet suits people who want more EVM networks such as Arbitrum, Optimism and Avalanche, passkey sign-in and an easy link to a Coinbase account. Its swap fee is up to 1%, against Phantom's 0.85%.
First, the name. Coinbase renamed Coinbase Wallet as the "Base app" in July 2025. On 10 September 2026 it announced it was changing the name back to Coinbase Wallet and refocusing the app on multichain trading (The Block, updated 19 October 2026). Older guides that say "Base app" mean the same self-custodial wallet. It is separate from a Coinbase exchange account. Facts were checked on 25 October 2026.
At a glance
| Phantom | Coinbase Wallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Self-custodial; recovery phrase or Google/Apple login | Self-custodial; passkey smart wallet, email or social login, or recovery phrase |
| Chains | 9 networks: Solana, Ethereum, Base, Polygon, Bitcoin, HyperEVM, Robinhood Chain, Arc, BNB Chain. No custom networks. | Base, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, Avalanche, BNB Chain, Robinhood Chain, Monad, Solana and Bitcoin. Custom networks no longer supported. |
| Platforms | Chrome extension (other Chromium browsers compatible), iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web app and browser extension |
| Open source | No (apps proprietary) | Partly: smart-wallet contracts are public under MIT; the consumer app is not |
| Wallet swap fee | 0.85% on most swaps | Up to 1%, plus possible aggregator and network costs |
| Hardware wallets | Ledger (extension and mobile) | Ledger, by USB through the browser extension |
| Staking | Native SOL and PSOL | ETH staking with a 15% commission |
| Security history | 2022 "Demonic" issue patched; not at fault in the 2022 Slope drain; contested 2025 lawsuit | February 2025 wallet SDK flaw, fixed; May 2025 Coinbase exchange support-staff data leak (customer data, not wallet keys) |
Coinbase Wallet details are from The Block (September and October 2026) and CryptoSlate's review (updated 24 October 2026).
Fees
Phantom charges 0.85% on most in-wallet swaps (Phantom help centre, 2026). Coinbase Wallet charges up to 1% on DEX swaps, plus possible aggregator and network costs (CryptoSlate, October 2026). When it announced the rename, Coinbase did not disclose the fee structure for its new trading features (The Block). On a $1,000 swap that is $8.50 in Phantom against up to $10 in Coinbase Wallet.
Both cover some gas. Coinbase sponsors USDC gas on Base up to $0.30 per transaction and $2 per user per month; Phantom sponsors network fees on some Solana and EVM swaps. For staking, Coinbase Wallet takes a 15% commission on ETH staking. Phantom's native SOL staking has no Phantom fee, while PSOL takes 4% of rewards and a 0.1% exit fee. See Phantom fees.
Chains: the overlap is Base and Ethereum
Both wallets support Base, Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, Robinhood Chain, Solana and Bitcoin. Coinbase Wallet adds Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche and Monad. Phantom adds HyperEVM and Arc, and dropped Monad on 26 August 2026.
A catch on the Coinbase side: passkey smart wallets cannot hold Bitcoin or Solana, so you need an email, social-login or recovery-phrase wallet for those (CryptoSlate). Coinbase also removed custom networks and coins such as Dogecoin and Litecoin from the current app. Phantom has never offered custom networks. See Phantom on Ethereum, Base and Polygon and Phantom supported chains.
Sign-in and recovery
Both wallets offer a way in without writing down 12 words. Phantom lets you create a wallet with Google or Apple; see Phantom email login. Coinbase Wallet offers passkey smart wallets, secured by your phone's face or fingerprint unlock, and email or social-login wallets.
The trade-off is the same in both: recovery then depends on your login provider or device rather than a phrase you hold. If you choose a recovery phrase instead, write it down offline and never share it. Phantom never asks for it; see the Phantom recovery phrase.
Safety
Both preview transactions and flag scams. Coinbase has described previews and approval alerts since January 2023 and hides scam tokens. Phantom simulates transactions with technology from Blowfish, which it bought in November 2024, and keeps a public blocklist.
Coinbase's wallet SDK had a high-severity flaw fixed in version 4.3.0 in February 2025; Coinbase said keys and funds were not directly affected. In May 2025 bribed support workers at the Coinbase exchange leaked customer data; Coinbase said private keys and funds were not exposed, but the leak has fuelled scam calls. Phantom's record includes the 2022 "Demonic" issue (patched), the 2022 Slope drain (not Phantom's fault) and a contested 2025 lawsuit; see Phantom's security history.
Phantom has no phone support at all, so any phone call from "Phantom" is a scam; see Phantom support phone scams.
Features
- Trading: both now offer Hyperliquid perps, prediction markets and tokenized stocks, with regional limits. Phantom's perps are not available in the US or UK; see Phantom perps.
- Hardware: both support Ledger. Phantom also supports Ledger on mobile by Bluetooth; Coinbase Wallet's support is through its browser extension. See Phantom and Ledger.
- Coinbase link: Coinbase Wallet connects easily with a Coinbase exchange account and offers USDC rewards in some regions.
- Web: Coinbase Wallet has a web app. Phantom has a web trading interface, Phantom Terminal, that signs through the extension.
Using both
If both extensions are installed, both may respond to Ethereum dapps; choose the wallet from the dapp's list. To move funds, send them to your address in the other wallet on the same network, and check the network in both apps first. Passkey smart wallets cannot be imported into Phantom as a recovery phrase.
Many people use the two for different jobs: Coinbase Wallet for Base and a link to their Coinbase account, Phantom for Solana and staking. Both support Base, so stablecoins such as USDC can move between them on Base for a low network fee. Send a small test amount first, and never send Solana tokens to a 0x address or EVM tokens to a Solana address.
Coinbase's own rename caused confusion in search results and app stores. Whatever the name, download Coinbase Wallet only from Coinbase's official site or store listing, and Phantom only from phantom.com, typed by hand.
Choose Phantom if… / Choose Coinbase Wallet if…
Choose Phantom if
- Solana is your main chain and you want native SOL staking.
- You want Ledger signing on your phone.
- You want a slightly lower swap fee than up to 1%.
Choose Coinbase Wallet if
- You use Arbitrum, Optimism or Avalanche.
- You prefer passkey sign-in.
- You already use a Coinbase account and want easy transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coinbase Wallet the same as the Base app?
Yes. Coinbase renamed Coinbase Wallet as the Base app in July 2025 and announced on 10 September 2026 that it was changing the name back to Coinbase Wallet. It is a self-custodial wallet, separate from a Coinbase exchange account.
Which has lower swap fees?
Phantom charges 0.85% on most swaps. Coinbase Wallet charges up to 1% on DEX swaps, plus any aggregator fee.
Does Coinbase Wallet support Solana?
Yes, for email, social-login and recovery-phrase wallets. Passkey smart wallets cannot hold Solana or Bitcoin.
Can I use Ledger with both?
Yes. Phantom supports Ledger in its extension and on mobile. Coinbase Wallet supports Ledger through its browser extension.
Does Phantom support Arbitrum like Coinbase Wallet?
No. As of October 2026 Phantom does not support Arbitrum, Optimism or Avalanche.