Once the scalability problem has been solved, Coinbase might become a value investment. Until then it is simply an interesting experiment in blockchain technology and should be avoided by all but the richest investors. Current blockchain technology is so slow Coinbase might run afoul of the banking laws simply because it could not process funds fast enough to comply with them. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) requires banks to have a certain amount of liquidity, present blockchains are too slow to provide that liquidity.