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Is Coinbase, Kraken or Robinhood licensed in California?
What each company's own license page says for California, with the source and the date we checked. Alphabetical, no rankings.
- Coinbase Pending
Pending. DFPI's list of DFAL applications under review (list updated July 30, 2026) includes Coinbase, Inc. Coinbase's own license page shows no California license line, only DFAL consumer disclosures. Checked Nov 2, 2026. - Kraken Pending
Pending. Kraken's disclosures list a pending DFAL license and say it may operate while the application is under review. DFPI's applicant list (updated July 30, 2026) includes Payward Interactive, Inc. (Kraken). Checked Nov 2, 2026. - Robinhood Pending
Pending. DFPI's list of DFAL applications under review (list updated July 30, 2026) includes Robinhood Crypto LLC. Robinhood Crypto's license PDF (dated Oct 28, 2025) lists no California license. Checked Nov 2, 2026. - Crypto license required in California? Yes. DFPI: companies must be licensed or have applied by July 1, 2026.
Who's licensed in California: details
Licensed on company pagePending application pendingNot listed no license listedNot offered doesn't serve state
Digital Financial Assets Law (DFAL): since July 1, 2026, covered crypto businesses serving Californians must hold a DFAL license or have submitted a completed DFAL application.
CoinbasePending
DFPI's list of DFAL applications under review (list updated July 30, 2026) includes Coinbase, Inc. Coinbase's own license page shows no California license line, only DFAL consumer disclosures. Source · checked Nov 2, 2026
KrakenPending
Kraken's disclosures list a pending DFAL license and say it may operate while the application is under review. DFPI's applicant list (updated July 30, 2026) includes Payward Interactive, Inc. (Kraken). Source · checked Nov 2, 2026
RobinhoodPending
DFPI's list of DFAL applications under review (list updated July 30, 2026) includes Robinhood Crypto LLC. Robinhood Crypto's license PDF (dated Oct 28, 2025) lists no California license. Source · checked Nov 2, 2026
Law, regulator, limits & sources
- Law: Digital Financial Assets Law (AB 39 / SB 401, 2023; deadline extended by AB 1934 to July 1, 2026)
- Regulator: California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
- Crypto license required? Yes. DFPI: companies must be licensed or have applied by July 1, 2026.
Sign-up gates and product limits (only where a company or regulator states them):
- Kraken: Kraken does not serve Maine or New York residents. If you moved here from one of those states, Kraken asks for a Proof of Residence document for your new address. Source · Nov 3, 2026
- Coinbase: Staking: no new staking (since June 2023 state orders; existing stakes can be unstaked). Source · Oct 20, 2026
- Kraken: Onchain staking: California is not on Kraken's list of eligible states. Source · Oct 30, 2026
- Robinhood: Staking: Robinhood says staking is unavailable here. Source · Oct 20, 2026
Not yet verified: DFPI's list shows applications under review, not issued licenses; no issued DFAL licenses were checked. Minimum age not verified for any platform.
"Not listed" means the company's own license page did not list a license for California on the date shown. It does not mean the company is operating without authorization (it may rely on an exemption, a pending application, another affiliate, or no license may be required). Platforms are alphabetical; this is not a ranking. Informational, not legal advice.
Can I use Coinbase in California? · Can I use Kraken in California? · Can I use Robinhood in California?
Crypto in California → All states →
Other states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas.
Coinbase vs Kraken vs Robinhood in California: side by side →
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