#proofofsteps #runstr #dogstr
Course crystalline snow bursts through the valley as we begin our regular run, by the brook and up the hill. It gets our blood going.
#coffeechain,
GM, sun and 60's today. The snow will melt faster in the sun. Freezing nights and warm days make the maple run. The sugar houses started boiling and will continue through April.
#nostr #grownostr #tldr #notyourkeysnotyourcoins
I asked ChatGPT to show me the terms and conditions where coinbase can force forfeiture of #btc
I reviewed the current Coinbase U.S. User Agreement (last updated Jan 27 2026) and related legal explanations. Here is the precise answer to your question:
➡️ Coinbase does NOT include a clause saying they can simply “take ownership” of your Bitcoin.
However, the agreement does give them broad powers that can effectively prevent you from accessing or moving your Bitcoin, and in certain cases funds could end up forfeited through legal processes.
Below are the actual mechanisms in the agreement where this can happen.
1. Coinbase can freeze or restrict your Bitcoin at its discretion
The agreement states they may refuse, suspend, or terminate accounts and transactions:
“We may, in our sole discretion, refuse to open a Coinbase Account, suspend or terminate any Coinbase Account, suspend or terminate the sending of Digital Assets from your account…” �
Coinbase
What this means:
They can freeze your account.
They can block withdrawals.
They can prevent sending your Bitcoin off the platform.
This does not automatically transfer ownership, but it can lock your assets indefinitely.
2. They can freeze assets during compliance investigations
Coinbase requires identity verification and anti-money-laundering compliance:
They can request personal information at any time.
They can investigate fraud, sanctions violations, or financial crimes. �
Coinbase
If they suspect:
sanctions violations
money laundering
fraud
illegal activity
they can freeze access during investigation, sometimes with no stated time limit. �
Terms.Law
3. They must comply with government seizure or legal orders
Coinbase explicitly reserves the right to disclose information or act on legal orders:
subpoenas
court orders
regulatory requests
law-enforcement investigations �
Coinbase
In these cases:
government agencies can seize or confiscate crypto
Coinbase must comply.
That is the main real-world mechanism where you could “forfeit” Bitcoin.
4. They can terminate your account for almost any reason
The agreement allows them to terminate access:
“for any reason” at their discretion in some jurisdictions or security contexts. �
Coinbase
After termination:
you are usually allowed to withdraw funds during a limited window (often ~90 days unless prohibited by law). �
Coinbase
But if withdrawals are legally restricted (e.g., investigation), they may remain frozen.
5. Arbitration clause limits your ability to challenge them
The contract requires binding arbitration and waives class-action lawsuits. �
Stoltmann Law
Effectively this means:
disputes happen privately
you cannot easily join lawsuits with other users
This reduces leverage if funds are frozen.
Important distinction: custody vs ownership
Even though the Bitcoin is yours economically:
Coinbase holds the private keys for hosted wallets
This means they control technical access.
The crypto industry summarizes this with the phrase:
“Not your keys, not your coins.”
If Bitcoin is stored on Coinbase, you rely on their custody system to access it.
Situations where you could actually lose the Bitcoin
Your Bitcoin could realistically be lost or forfeited if:
Government seizure (criminal investigation, sanctions)
Fraud investigation where funds are confiscated
Court judgments or restitution orders
Exchange insolvency (rare but possible)
Account permanently locked due to compliance violations
What the agreement does NOT say
There is no clause stating Coinbase can simply confiscate your Bitcoin for profit or arbitrarily take ownership.
Their authority is mostly limited to:
freezing
restricting
complying with law enforcement
closing accounts.
✅ Summary
Coinbase’s terms allow them to:
freeze your Bitcoin
block withdrawals
close your account
comply with legal seizure orders
But the agreement does not give Coinbase a direct contractual right to take your Bitcoin as their property.
✅ If you want, I can also show you 3 specific clauses in the agreement that Bitcoin self-custody advocates point to as the biggest risk (they’re the reason many people move coins off exchanges).
#nostr #grownostr
...so can we bring back cigarette machines? This is ridiculous. Get the devs addicted to increase productivity. This is very dystopia.
#coffeechain
GM,
March is in like Lion, but it won't last long. The sun will have it's way. We had an ice storm on Tuesday and maybe more tonight, but in between, yesterday it was sunny and in the 60s. The lion was sleeping.
#coffeechain
GM,
We got a bit of an Ice storm last night. I had a work dinner on the other side of the state. I had to drive through Hartford to get home. The highway planners in the 1960's decided to put I84 smack dab in the middle of the city. To do this they elevated the highway on bridge that spans a good part of the city. Well bridges freeze first in an ice event. Some joker decided to speed through the windy elevated span. It didn't end well. I was stuck for about half an hour waiting for the state cops and EMS to clear the scene. Hartford cops won't respond because it is interstate. Finally with bad wipers and all, but we were blessed sparkling crystal trees this morning. Photo doesn't do it justice. This will all melt in a couple hours.
#chickenstr #eggstr
My chickens started producing again at the beginning of the month. Now production is ramping up. This always happens before I finish the last gallon waterglass eggs. They will get a bunch of scrambled eggs over the next week and we will consume the fresh eggs.
My daughter found this opossum in her Tennessee #homestead. It dug a hole under the chicken coop and waited for the robot door to open. It got into a fight with the rooster. Sadly the rooster is no more, but he did his job, protected the hens and alerted my son-in-law.