It is important for crypto investors to keep track of who is centralised and who isn't. Coinbase is funded by the NYSE and several banks. That's really all you need to know. I wouldn't touch Coinbase.
Other big centralised names in crypto include Poloniex and Ripple. Don't make the rich richer - avoid centralised crypto!
Yep exactly.
This would essentially mean you could ONLY use crypto via 3rd parties, which again, would defeat crypto’s entire purpose. Another worry of these centralized services is that they could deny users access to private keys, as was just announced today in Russia: https://en.bitnovosti.com/2018/05/22/russian-state-duma-adopted-the-draft-law-on-regulation-of-cryptocurrency-transactions/
...or via a VPN ;)
True. No matter what the circumstances, cryptography finds a way.