Bitpay, the bitcoin-focused payment startup, has announced that its Bitpay wallet will now feature in-app exchange services, enabling users to purchase bitcoin through Coinbase or Glidera and hold the funds in a non-custodial wallet. This move joins a growing trend of wallet providers—such as Blockchain wallet, Airbitz, and Breadwallet—that have integrated buying and selling capabilities directly into their interfaces.
Bitpay Wallet Adds Coinbase and Glidera Integration
“The Bitpay app gives you full control of your bitcoin's private keys — Only you have access to your funds,” Bitpay explained in its announcement. The company believes that while non-custodial wallets offer superior security, they often lack a simple way to acquire bitcoin. By integrating Coinbase and Glidera, Bitpay aims to deliver “the best of both worlds: the convenience of buying bitcoin on an online exchange combined with the hardened security of a true bitcoin wallet.”
How It Works
For Coinbase customers, the integration works as follows: users sign into their Coinbase accounts, navigate to the “next steps” section in the Bitpay wallet, and choose “buy or sell bitcoin.” They then select Coinbase (or Glidera) and log in from within the app. After entering two-factor authentication, users must “authorize” the Bitpay wallet to access their Coinbase account and review the app’s permissions. Once authorized, they can purchase and sell bitcoin directly through the wallet interface.
The Glidera integration follows a similar OAuth-based flow, ensuring a seamless experience. Throughout the process, private keys remain stored locally on the user’s device, and the exchange only handles order execution and settlement.
Balancing Security and Convenience
Non-custodial wallets give users full control over their private keys, reducing the risk of exchange hacks or custodial failures. However, the main drawback has always been the difficulty of funding the wallet. Bitpay’s solution treats the exchange as a backend service, allowing users to complete transactions without leaving the wallet app while retaining self-custody of their funds.
“Bitpay’s wallet exchange integrations offer the best of both worlds,” the company reiterated. “We believe this is a natural step to make bitcoin more accessible without compromising security.”
The feature is available globally immediately. Bitpay has not ruled out adding more exchange partners in the future, potentially including decentralized options, to further lower the barriers to bitcoin ownership.