TLDR:
- Coinbase retail users accumulated more Bitcoin and Ethereum in native units during recent market volatility
- Platform data shows vast majority of customers maintained or increased holdings between December and February
- CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed retail investors bought the dip rather than panic selling during downturns
- Native unit measurements reveal investor conviction independent of fiat currency price fluctuations
Coinbase retail users have maintained strong purchasing activity during recent market volatility, according to data shared by CEO Brian Armstrong.
The exchange platform recorded increases in native unit holdings for both Bitcoin and ETH among retail customers.
Armstrong’s analysis revealed that most customers demonstrated long-term holding patterns, with February balances matching or exceeding December levels across major digital assets.
Retail Investors Increase Native Unit Holdings
Armstrong disclosed the trading patterns through his official Twitter account on February 16, 2026. According to his statement, “Retail users on Coinbase have been very resilient during these market conditions, according to our data.” The CEO noted that customers actively purchased digital assets during price declines.
Retail users on Coinbase have been very resilient during these market conditions, according to our data:
– They’ve been buying the dip – we’ve seen a native unit increase for retail users across BTC and ETH
– They have diamond hands – vast majority of customers had native unit…
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) February 15, 2026
Armstrong specifically stated that “they’ve been buying the dip” in his public announcement. Platform data confirmed this behavior through measurable growth in cryptocurrency holdings.
The Coinbase executive further explained that “we’ve seen a native unit increase for retail users across BTC and ETH.”
This buying behavior contrasts with traditional market panic selling during downturns. Retail investors on Coinbase chose to accumulate more tokens as prices dropped.
The pattern suggests confidence in long-term value appreciation despite short-term market fluctuations. The data represents actual customer holdings tracked across the Coinbase platform.
Long-Term Holding Patterns Emerge
Armstrong described the customer base using a popular market term in his tweet. He stated that “they have diamond hands” when characterizing their holding behavior. The phrase refers to investors who maintain positions through market volatility without selling.
The data backed up this characterization with concrete numbers. Armstrong noted that the “vast majority of customers had native unit balances in Feb equal to or greater than their balances in December.” This two-month period captured behavior through significant market volatility and price fluctuations.
The holding pattern indicates retail investors are not engaging in panic selling during downturns. Instead, customers are either maintaining existing positions or adding to them strategically.
Platform data tracked individual account balances to measure this retention behavior across the entire user base.
Market observers often question retail investor resilience during extended price declines. However, Coinbase data suggests this demographic is exhibiting patience and long-term thinking.
Armstrong’s public disclosure of internal platform metrics offers transparency into retail trading patterns. The findings challenge common assumptions about retail capitulation during market stress periods and demonstrate sustained conviction among individual investors.
