Coinbase

Coinbase Global, Inc.
Company type	Public
Traded as	Nasdaq: COIN (Class A) S&P 500 component
ISIN	US19260Q1076
Industry	Cryptocurrency
Founded	June 2012; in San Francisco, California, United States
Founders	Brian Armstrong Fred Ehrsam
Headquarters	San Francisco
Area served	100+ countries
Key people	Brian Armstrong (Chair, CEO) Emilie Choi (President, COO) Alesia Haas (CFO)
Products	Cryptocurrency exchange services
Revenue	Increase US$6.56 billion (2024)
Operating income	Increase US$2.31 billion (2024)
Net income	Increase US$2.58 billion (2024)
Total assets	Increase US$22.5 billion (2024)
Total equity	Increase US$10.3 billion (2024)
Owner	Brian Armstrong (19%)
Members	108 million (2023)
Number of employees	3,772 (2024)
Website	coinbase.com
Footnotes	[2][3]

Coinbase Global, Inc. (commonly known as Coinbase) is a cryptocurrency exchange based in San Francisco, United States, North America. Founded in 2012, ¹the company was established by Brian Armstrong, a former Airbnb engineer, and Fred Ehrsam, a former Goldman Sachs trader.

Coinbase initially operated as a Bitcoin wallet before expanding its services to become one of the world’s largest ² cryptocurrency exchanges by 2021. The platform supports trading in multiple digital currencies and provides services for both retail and institutional investors across global markets.

As of 2024, Coinbase has over 105 million users worldwide, with approximately 10.8 million active monthly traders. The company’s valuation increased significantly alongside the rise in Bitcoin prices, growing from $14.4 billion in 2023 to $55.4 billion in 2024.³

It has over 100 million users and is the largest cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States, as of 2024, as well as the world’s largest custodian of Bitcoin. The company operates in more than 100 countries and manages approximately US$516 billion in assets, including nearly 12 percent of all existing Bitcoin and 11 percent of all staked Ether. ⁴

Coinbase is a decentralized company with no headquarters. As we have transitioned to a remote-first environment, we realized that we no longer have a headquarters located in any single city.⁵

History

2012–2019: Origins and Initial Growth

Coinbase was founded in June 2012 by Brian Armstrong, a former Airbnb engineer, and Fred Ehrsam, a former Goldman Sachs trader. Armstrong participated in Y Combinator and received US$150,000 funding. British programmer Ben Reeves was initially involved but left

due to differences over wallet operations. The company is named after Coinbase transactions, which introduce cryptocurrency into circulation.⁶  Coinbase launched its platform for buying and selling Bitcoin via bank transfers in October 2012. In 2015, the company expanded its offerings with the introduction of Coinbase Exchange. ⁷

In May 2013, Coinbase secured a US$5 million Series A investment led by Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures. Later, in December 2013, the company raised an additional US$25 million from Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and Ribbit Capital. ⁸

In 2014, Coinbase reached one million users and expanded through acquisitions, including the blockchain explorer service Blocker and the web bookmarking company Kippt. The company secured insurance for bitcoin stored on its servers and launched the vault system for enhanced bitcoin storage security. During the same year, Coinbase partnered with Overstock, Dell, Expedia, Dish Network, and Time Inc. to facilitate bitcoin payments and integrated bitcoin payment processing with traditional payment platforms such as Stripe, Braintree, and PayPal. ⁹

In April 2014, Coinbase underwent a corporate reorganization, with Coinbase, Inc. becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coinbase Global, Inc. The principal assets of Coinbase Global, Inc. consist of equity interests in Coinbase, Inc. In addition to Coinbase, Inc., Coinbase Global, Inc. owns several subsidiaries, including CB Payments Ltd, a UK-based company providing fiat payment processing services to international customers, and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC, a New York–chartered trust company authorized to hold crypto assets in trust for institutional clients.¹⁰

In January 2015, Coinbase secured a US$75 million investment led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, the New York Stock Exchange, USAA, and several banking institutions. Later that month, the company launched Coinbase Exchange, a U.S.-based Bitcoin trading platform

¹Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute, “Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute”, Achieved

²Battery Ventures, “Coinbase, a platform for accessing the crypto economy”, Achieved

³Business of Apps, “Coinbase Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025)”, Achieved, Retrieved November 2025

⁴Financial Data, “Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN)”, Achieved

⁵Coinbase Blogs, “Coinbase is a decentralized company, with no headquarters”, Achieved, Retrieved February 2021

⁶All My Opinion,“Coinbase Review ”, Achieved

⁷Business Model Zoo, “Coinbase”, Achieved

⁸Medium, “Post”,  Achieved, Retrieved December 2016

⁹Cypher Hunter, “Coinbase” Retrieved

¹⁰US Securities and Exchange Commission, “Official Statement”, Achieved

Designed for professional traders,¹¹ Coinbase expanded its global presence in September 2015 by launching retail Bitcoin services in Singapore and Canada, marking its first entry into Asia and broadening access to the digital currency.¹²

In November 2016, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a summons to Coinbase, requesting information on approximately 480,000 U.S. users who conducted transactions between January 2013 and December 2015, including account records, transactions, correspondence, and compliance reports.¹³

In January 2017, Coinbase obtained the BitLicense from the New York Department of Financial Services, authorizing its virtual currency operations and reinforcing its commitment to secure and compliant cryptocurrency services.¹⁴ In November of the same year, Coinbase was ordered by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to report users who had conducted transactions totaling at least US$20,000 within a single year.¹⁵

In December 2017, Coinbase launched an internal investigation into a Bitcoin Cash price spike that occurred prior to platform support, ensuring that employees—who were barred from trading—had not violated company policies regarding material nonpublic information.¹⁶

On February 28, 2018, Coinbase informed approximately 13,000 customers that it would comply with a court-ordered IRS summons in United States v. Coinbase, Inc.. The case, assigned to Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, concerned U.S. customers’ Bitcoin transactions from 2013 to 2015 and involved a “John Doe” summons aimed at identifying potential noncompliance.¹⁷

¹¹Juan Rodulfo, “Buy and Sell Bitcoin: COINBASE”, Achieved, Retrieved September 2021

¹²Reuters, “Coinbase launches retail bitcoin service in Singapore, Canada”, Achieved, Retrieved September 2015

¹³Singapore Institute of Accredited Tax Professionals, “CIT’s Widening Powers to Obtain Information, Understand The New Landscape And Know Your Rights”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2018

¹⁴Coinbase Blog, “Coinbase Obtains the Bitlicense”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2017

¹⁵Straits Times, “Coinbase loses bid to block US tax probe of bitcoin gains”, Achieved, Retrieved November 2017

¹⁶CNBC, “Coinbase to investigate insider trading claims after launch of bitcoin cash support”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2017

¹⁷Forbes, “Coinbase Notifies Customers That It Will Turn Over Court-Ordered Data”, Achieved, Retrieved February 2018

On March 5, 2018, Coinbase announced that Emilie Choi, formerly Vice President of Corporate Development at LinkedIn, would join the company as Vice President of Corporate and Business Development, focusing on acquisitions, global expansion, and strategic initiatives.¹⁸

On March 26, 2018, Coinbase announced its intention to add support for Ethereum ERC-20 tokens¹⁹ on the Ethereum blockchain. On April 5, 2018, Coinbase announced the formation of an early-stage venture fund, Coinbase Ventures, dedicated to investing in blockchain- and cryptocurrency-related companies. ²⁰On May 16, 2018, Coinbase Ventures announced its first investment in Compound Labs, a startup developing Ethereum-based smart contracts similar to money market systems.²¹

On May 23, 2018, Coinbase acquired the trading platform Paradex to expand its cryptocurrency offerings. Paradex’s peer-to-peer trading system was planned to integrate into Coinbase Pro, initially for non-U.S. customers, enhancing access to token trading options.₂₂ In August 2018, Amazon Web Services executive Tim Wagner joined Coinbase as Vice President of Engineering.²³

On October 23, 2018, Coinbase, in partnership with Circle, launched USD Coin (USDC), a fully collateralized stablecoin. Supported by the CENTRE Consortium, USDC enables fast, programmable, and globally accessible digital dollar transactions on the Ethereum blockchain.²⁴

On January 7, 2019, Coinbase temporarily suspended trading of Ethereum Classic after detecting a network attack that resulted in double-spending and blockchain reorganizations, affecting approximately 88,500 ETC, valued at around US$460,000 at the time.²⁵

¹⁸Tech Crunch, “Coinbase has hired LinkedIn’s M&A boss to spearhead new acquisitions”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2018

¹⁹Coinbase, “Adding ERC20 Support to Coinbase”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2018

²⁰CNBC, “Bitcoin exchange Coinbase launches early-stage venture fund”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2018

²¹Tech Crunch, “Coinbase’s first investment, Compound, earns you interest on crypto”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2018

²²CNBC, “Coinbase acquires trading platform Paradex in its latest move to dominate the crypto economy”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2018

²³Coinbase, “Welcome Tim Wagner, Coinbase’s New Vice President of Engineering”, Achieved, Retrieved August 2018

²⁴Coinbase, “Coinbase and Circle announce the launch of USDC — a Digital Dollar” Achieved, Retrieved October 2018

²⁵Tech Crunch, “Coinbase freezes Ethereum Classic trading following attack”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2019

In February 2019, it acquired Neutrino S.r.l., a blockchain intelligence platform. The founders were previously affiliated with Hacking Team, a company known for selling surveillance software to authoritarian governments, which caused reputational damage, customer losses, and increased costs.²⁶

On March 4, Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, said his company "did not properly evaluate" the deal from a due diligence perspective and thus any Neutrino staff who previously worked at Hacking Team "will transition out of Coinbase."²⁷

On May 30, 2019, Coinbase employees received spear-phishing emails from compromised University of Cambridge accounts, carefully crafted to appear legitimate and evade spam detection. On June 17, 2019, attackers sent a malicious link exploiting two Firefox zero-day vulnerabilities, enabling privilege escalation and sandbox escape to install malware on targeted systems. Within hours, Coinbase Security detected, blocked, and investigated the attack, identifying rapid weaponization of Firefox flaws and preventing broader compromise.²⁸

2020–2021: Shift to Remote-First Work and Initial Public Offering

On May 20, 2020, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced the company would adopt a remote-first model post-COVID-19, enabling employees to work ²⁹ remotely or in-office, aiming to embrace flexibility, attract global talent, and shape the future of work. Also in May, the company announced the acquisition of New York-based digital asset trading firm Tagomi for a price between US$75 and US$100 million.³⁰

In June 2020, Coinbase faced internal criticism when CEO Brian Armstrong initially declined to comment on Black Lives Matter, citing the company’s apolitical stance, but he later

²⁶US Security and Exchange Commision, “Official Statement” Achieved

²⁷Coinbase, “Living up to our values and the Neutrino acquisition”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2019

²⁸Coinbase, “Responding to Firefox 0-days in the wild”, Achieved, Retrieved August 2019

²⁹Coinbase, “Post COVID-19, Coinbase will be a remote-first company”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2020

³⁰Bloomberg, “Coinbase Expands Institutional Services With Tagomi Purchase”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2020

He later addressed the issue publicly on Twitter.³¹ In September 2020, Armstrong published a blog post stating that Coinbase would refrain from participating in social activism, arguing that such involvement had negatively impacted other technology companies like Google and Facebook. He also offered a severance package to employees who disagreed with this policy.³²

The company also faced complaints by employees saying they were treated unfairly due to their race or gender.³³ On November 25, 2020, Coinbase alerted employees that The New York Times planned to publish a negative story alleging issues faced by Black employees, providing context and reaffirming company commitments to inclusion and safety.³⁴

In October 2020, Coinbase announced the launch of a Visa debit card program.³⁵

In December 2020, internal data analysis revealed significant pay disparities at Coinbase, with women earning $13,000 less and Black employees $11,500 less than colleagues in comparable roles, exceeding typical gaps seen across the tech industry.³⁶

On March 5, 2021, Coinbase disclosed that some transactions were “under review” by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control for potential sanctions violations, following recent fines to BitGo and BitPay.³⁷ That same month, Coinbase announced that it was establishing a business presence in India and began hiring engineering, software development, and customer support roles in India, offering remote work options and planning a Hyderabad office to leverage the country’s top engineering talent.³⁸

³¹Wired, “The Turmoil Over ‘Black Lives Matter’ and Political Speech at Coinbase”, Achieved, Retrieved October 2020

³²Coinbase, “Coinbase is a mission focused company”, Achieved, Retrieved

³³ The New York Times, “Cryptocurrency Start-Up Underpaid Women and Black Employees, Data Shows”, Achieved

³⁴ Coinbase, “An upcoming story about Coinbase”, Achieved, Retrieved November 2020

³⁵ Forbes, “Coinbase’s Debit Card Starts A $30 Billion Crypto Payments War With PayPal”, Achieved, Retrieved October 2020

³⁶ The New York Times, “Cryptocurrency Start-Up Underpaid Women and Black Employees, Data Shows”, Achieved

³⁷ Compliance Week, “​OFAC crypto crackdown: Coinbase disclosures under review”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2021

³⁸ Economics Times, “IPO-bound Coinbase begins hiring in India”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2021

On April 6, 2021, Coinbase announced that its first-quarter revenue surged ninefold to an estimated $1.8 billion, with net income between $730 million and $800 million, fueled by a Bitcoin rally, as the company prepared for its April 14 Nasdaq direct listing.³⁹

On April 14, 2021, Coinbase’s COIN stock debuted on Nasdaq, with shares expected between $300–$350, valuing the crypto exchange at approximately $100 billion ahead of its April 6 first-quarter earnings call.⁴⁰ Before the listing, Nasdaq set a reference price of US$250 a share, giving the company an estimated value of US$47 billion. ⁴¹At the end of its first day of trading, it closed at $328.28, valuing the company at $86 billion amid market volatility. Analysts warned that increased competition could drive fees lower.⁴²

On May 10, 2021, Coinbase detailed a revamped compensation strategy to attract top talent, including increasing salaries and equity to the 75th percentile, removing negotiation disparities to ensure fairness, and linking future rewards to performance, impact, and career growth, promoting equity and transparency across the company.⁴³

On June 1, 2021, Coinbase Pro began accepting Dogecoin (DOGE) transfers in preparation for trading. DOGE trading officially commenced on June 3, 2021, subject to liquidity conditions, gradually enabling multiple trading pairs.⁴⁴

In September 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reportedly warned Coinbase that it could face legal action if it proceeded with launching its cryptocurrency lending product. Lend.⁴⁵ Subsequently, Coinbase canceled its planned crypto lending offering.

³⁹CNBC, “Coinbase estimates Q1 revenue jumped nine-fold to about $1.8 billion ahead of public market debut”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2021

⁴⁰NASDAQ, “Coinbase’s COIN Stock to Go Live on Nasdaq April 14”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2021

⁴¹South China Morning Post, “Coinbase’s impending US listing throws the spotlight on Nasdaq as bitcoin’s value soars to record”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2021

⁴²The Edge Singapore, “Race for lower commissions to impact Coinbase”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2021

⁴³Coinbase, “How Coinbase is rethinking its approach to compensation”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2021

⁴⁴Coinbase, “Dogecoin (DOGE) is launching on Coinbase Pro”, Achieved, Retrieved June 2021

⁴⁵Reuters, “U.S. markets regulator takes aim at Coinbase lending product”, Achieved, Retrieved September 2021

After the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission threatened legal action, citing concerns that the USDC staking program constituted a security, the company discontinued the waitlist and halted the launch.⁴⁶

In November 2021, Coinbase announced its acquisition of Indian AI startup Agara for $40–50 million. Agara’s machine learning-powered customer support platform was expected to enhance Coinbase’s user experience, with its technology team, largely based in India, joining the company.⁴⁷

On December 15, 2021, cryptocurrency prices on Coinbase and CoinMarketCap briefly spiked erratically. Trading remained unaffected, but Coinbase continued investigating wallet-related issues. Both platforms confirmed that prices were subsequently corrected.⁴⁸

2022–2025: SEC Lawsuit, Dismissal, and Key Developments

On February 13, 2022, Coinbase aired a Super Bowl advertisement featuring a floating QR code, inviting viewers to sign up and receive $15 in free Bitcoin.⁴⁹ In the following month, March 2022, Coinbase blocked more than 25,000 Russia-linked cryptocurrency wallet addresses amid concerns they could be used to evade sanctions, citing illicit activity while maintaining that it would not ban all Russian users.⁵⁰

In April 2022, Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, launched its services in India as part of its expansion into emerging markets.⁵¹ The company initially used the Unified Payments Interface to enable rupee-to-cryptocurrency transactions but later

⁴⁶Tech Crunch, “Following SEC lawsuit threat, Coinbase cancels launch of ‘Lend’ product”, Achieved, Retrieved September 2021

⁴⁷Techcrunch, “Coinbase to acquire India’s Agara for over $40 million”, Achieved, Retrieved November 2021

⁴⁸Bloomberg, “Crypto Prices Go Haywire on Coinbase, CoinMarketCap.com”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2021

⁴⁹Adweek, “Coinbase's Super Bowl Ad Was Just a Floating QR Code on a Black Screen ”, Achieved, Retrieved February 2022

⁵⁰BBC News, “Crypto platform blocks thousands of Russia-linked wallets”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2022

⁵¹MEXC, “Coinbase officially returns to the Indian market after more than two years of hiatus”, Achieved, Retrieved

suspended UPI support following a statement from the National Payments Corporation of India stating it was unaware of any crypto exchange using UPI.⁵²

MARA is a Pan-African cryptocurrency exchange launched in May 2022, raising $23 million from global investors. It partners with the Central African Republic and offers wallet, exchange, and blockchain services.⁵³ In June 2022, Coinbase cut 18% of its workforce, about 1,100 employees, citing a potential recession, market downturn, and overexpansion during the crypto bull market, aiming to improve efficiency.⁵⁴

In August 2022, Coinbase partnered with BlackRock to provide Aladdin clients institutional access to crypto trading and custody via Coinbase Prime, enabling seamless Bitcoin exposure, advanced trading, custody, staking, and reporting within existing portfolio workflows.⁵⁵

In October 2022, Google partnered with Coinbase to allow select customers to pay for cloud services with cryptocurrencies and explore using Coinbase Prime for secure storage and trading of digital assets. Coinbase will also migrate some applications to Google Cloud.⁵⁶

In January 2023, Coinbase announced plans to cut about 950 jobs, roughly 20% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring amid the ongoing crypto downturn and industry challenges, marking its third round of layoffs. Citing the possibility of "further contagion" following the collapse of the FTX exchange, Brian Armstrong said Coinbase would be "shutting down several projects where we have a lower probability of success.⁵⁷

Base is an Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) blockchain network created by Coinbase and launched publicly in August 2023 to provide a secure, low-cost, developer-friendly environment for

⁵²Economics  Times, “Regulatory heat forces Coinbase to halt UPI payments in just three days”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2022

⁵³The Guardian, “MARA raises $23m to build Africa’s crypto economy portal”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2022

⁵⁴CNBC, “Coinbase lays off 18% of workforce as executives prepare for recession and ‘crypto winter’”, Achieved, Retrieved June 2022

⁵⁵Coinbase, “Coinbase selected by BlackRock; provide Aladdin clients access to crypto trading and custody via Coinbase Prime”, Achieved, Retrieved August 2022

⁵⁶CNBC, “Google selects Coinbase to take cloud payments with cryptocurrencies and will use its custody tool”, Achieved, Retrieved Oct 2022

⁵⁷NPR, “Coinbase lays off around 20% of its workforce as crypto downturn continues”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2023

building decentralized applications. Built on the OP Stack in collaboration with Optimism, it leverages Ethereum’s security without issuing a native token and aims to bridge users into the broader crypto economy.⁵⁸

In April 2023, Coinbase’s Bermuda division obtained a Class F digital asset licence from the Bermuda Monetary Authority, allowing the company to operate cryptocurrency services there as part of its international expansion. ⁵⁹In July 2023, Coinbase leased approximately 40,000 square feet of office space in Mountain View’s The Village at San Antonio Center, marking a return to the Bay Area offices after previously closing its San Francisco headquarters and adopting a remote-first model. The space was formerly occupied by Meta.⁶⁰

In December 2024, Coinbase integrated Apple Pay into its Coinbase Onramp service, allowing users to buy cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin using Apple Pay for fiat-to-crypto purchases, simplifying and speeding up the onboarding process.⁶¹

SEC Drops Lawsuit Against Coinbase

In March 2023, Coinbase received a Wells notice from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding unspecified digital assets, Coinbase Earn, Coinbase Prime, and Coinbase Wallet. Coinbase maintains its assets are legal, continues operations, and advocates for clear crypto regulation.⁶² On April 25, 2023, Coinbase filed a legal challenge urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to establish clear cryptocurrency regulations, seeking defined rules to ensure compliance and protect its digital asset operations.⁶³

On June 6, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Coinbase, Inc. for operating as an unregistered securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency, and for unlawfully offering its staking-as-a-service

⁵⁸Coinbase, “Introducing Base: Coinbase’s L2 Network”, Achieved

⁵⁹Reuters, “U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase secures Bermuda licence”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2023

⁶⁰SFgate, “After abandoning San Francisco HQ, Coinbase takes on new Bay Area office space”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2023with

⁶¹Quartz, “Now you can use Apple Pay to buy crypto from Coinbase”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2024

⁶²Coinbase, “We asked the SEC for reasonable crypto rules for Americans. We got legal threats instead”, Achieved

⁶³Reuters, “Coinbase files legal challenge to push SEC to write rules on crypto”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2023

program, depriving investors of critical protections and disclosures under U.S. law. ⁶⁴The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also alleged that Coinbase never registered its staking service as required by U.S. securities laws.⁶⁵

On February 28, 2025, the U.S. securities regulator filed to dismiss its lawsuit against Coinbase. Reuters offers registered users global financial news, market insights, sustainability updates, technology, legal developments, and briefings.⁶⁶

2025–Present: Recent Developments and Events

In March 2025, Coinbase became the largest individual Ethereum node operator, controlling 11.42% of staked Ether, achieving 99.75% validator uptime, and expanding geographically to support network decentralization.⁶⁷

On May 15, 2025, Coinbase revealed an extortion attempt where rogue support agents accessed limited customer data. No funds or private keys were stolen; affected users will be reimbursed, and a $20 million reward fund will be established.⁶⁸ In the same month, Coinbase announced a recent cyber attack could cost the company up to $400 million, marking a significant financial impact on one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency firms.⁶⁹

On May 8, 2025, Coinbase acquired Dubai-based crypto derivatives exchange Deribit for $2.9 billion, combining cash and stock. The deal positioned Coinbase as a global leader in crypto derivatives, expanding international reach and revenue opportunities.⁷⁰ On May 19, 2025, Coinbase Global (COIN) joined the S&P 500, replacing Discover Financial Services,

⁶⁴US SEC, “SEC Charges Coinbase for Operating as an Unregistered Securities Exchange, Broker, and Clearing Agency”, Achieved, Retrieved 2023

⁶⁵CNBC, “SEC sues Coinbase over exchange and staking programs, stock drops 12%”, Achieved, RetrievedJune 2023

⁶⁶Reuters, “US securities regulator files to dismiss lawsuit against Coinbase”, Achieved, Retrieved February 2025

⁶⁷TradingView, “Coinbase Becomes Largest Ethereum Node Operator, Controlling 11.42% of Staked ETH”, Achieved , Retrieved March 2025

⁶⁸Coinbase, “Protecting Our Customers - Standing Up to Extortionists”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2025

⁶⁹BBC News, “Leading crypto firm Coinbase faces up to $400m hit from cyber attack”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2025

⁷⁰CNBC, “Coinbase acquires crypto derivatives exchange Deribit for $2.9 billion”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2025

marking a significant milestone in the cryptocurrency exchange’s recognition within major financial markets.⁷¹

On June 3, 2025, Coinbase revealed plans to open a 58,600-square-foot office at 110 East in Charlotte, its largest lease in the building, supporting over 130 local hires and serving as a "Center of Excellence" for employees.⁷²

On November 18, 2025, Coinbase COO Emilie Choi stated the company donated to President Donald Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom project to appeal to the administration, alongside other major tech companies.⁷³

In November 2025, Coinbase rebranded its Coinbase Wallet as the Base app, a platform integrating social media, messaging, trading, and payments on its Ethereum Layer-2 network, Base. In December 2025, Coinbase Global, Inc announced plans to launch an in-house prediction market powered by Kalshi. The platform aims to expand available asset classes on Coinbase’s crypto exchange.⁷⁵

In 2025, Coinbase considered listing 14 new cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin Hyper (May), Maxi Doge (2025), PEPENODE (2025), LiquidChain (November), SUBBD (April), BlockchainFX (2025), SpaceXRP (2025), Gassed Token (2025), Wall Street Chain (2025), Toncoin (2025), Bittensor (2025), and Kaspa (2025), featuring diverse use cases, staking rewards, and DeFi innovations, as per the bitcoinp99 article.⁷⁶

⁷¹SP Global Press Release, “Coinbase Global Set to Join S&P 500”, Achieved, Retrieved may 2025

⁷²Axios, “Coinbase to open office in 110 East”, Achieved, Retrieved June 2025

⁷³Axios, “Exclusive: Coinbase explains donation to Trump's ballroom”, Achieved, Retrieved Nov 22025

⁷⁴CoinTelegraph, “Coinbase Wallet is now Base app, a crypto ‘everything app'”, Achieved, Retrieved  July 2025

⁷⁵Yahoo Finance, “Coinbase (COIN) to Launch Kalshi-Powered Prediction Market?”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2025

⁷⁶ 99 Bitcoins, “14 New and Upcoming Coinbase Listings to Watch in 2025”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2025

Products

As of 2024, Coinbase has over 105 million users worldwide, with approximately 10.8 million active monthly traders. The company’s valuation increased significantly alongside the rise in Bitcoin prices, growing from $14.4 billion in 2023 to $55.4 billion in 2024.77 It offers products for retail and institutional cryptocurrency investors, and other users, including merchants and small businesses.

Retail Trading Products

For the general public:

• Coinbase: Platform for buying, selling, and using digital currencies easily in everyday transactions.
• Wallet: Offers self-hosted digital wallets for secure storage and management of digital assets.

For businesses:

• Institutions and agencies: Solutions designed specifically for institutional investors to manage large-scale digital assets.
• Prime: Premium asset brokerage platform providing advanced trading tools for businesses and high-volume traders.
• Commerce: Enables businesses to accept digital currency payments from all customers seamlessly.
• Exchange: Provides direct access to Coinbase’s currency exchange services for businesses.

International Exchange: Grants access to global digital currency markets for cross-border trading.

• Data Marketplace: Simplifies access to digital currency market information and analytics.
• List: Allows businesses to display and list their digital assets on Coinbase.
• Ventures: Platform to raise funds for startups using cryptocurrency investments.

Travel rules: Helps businesses comply with trusted travel regulations in digital currency transactions.

For developers:

• Developer platform: Tools that allow developers to build applications and integrate blockchain technology.
• Stake: Provides staking checkers and tools to manage digital asset staking.
• Onramp: Securely converts fiat currency into digital currency for users and developers.
• Wallet: Enables the best wallet experience for application users.
• Wallet SDK: Connects decentralized applications (dApps) with Coinbase Wallet.
• Coinbase app: Simplifies user login and interaction with decentralized applications.
• API for commerce: Allows developers to accept digital payments from customers easily.
• Exchange API: Powers automated trading for digital asset management.
• Prime API: Software solution to trade and manage digital assets efficiently.
• Base node: Provides a mainnet RPC endpoint to start building on the Base blockchain.⁷⁸

⁷⁷Business of Apps, “Coinbase Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025)”, Achieved, Retrieved November 2025

⁷⁸Coinbase, “Website Products Section”, Achieved

Operations and financials

In Feb 2021, Coinbase became fully remote-first, with no official headquarters, embracing decentralization while offering employees global work flexibility, and operated remotely from 2021 to 2025.⁷⁹

In May 2025, Coinbase signed a 150,000-square-foot San Francisco lease, marking its largest office while remaining remote-first and emphasizing decentralization.⁸⁰

On June 3, 2025, Coinbase revealed plans to open a 58,600-square-foot office at 110 East in Charlotte, its largest lease in the building, supporting over 130 local hires and serving as a "Center of Excellence" for employees.⁸¹

In April 2019, Coinbase UK generated £130m (€153m) revenue, but growth slowed as the cryptocurrency bubble, particularly Bitcoin, began to burst. ⁸²On December 20, 2018, Coinbase announced its expansion into Lithuania, Iceland, Andorra, Gibraltar, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man, aiming for an “aggressive” international push in 2019. U.K. CEO Zeeshan Feroz highlighted plans to explore partnerships with banks and payment providers, while the company continued adding cryptocurrencies and responding to growing customer demand across European and overseas markets.⁸³

In 2021, during its SEC filing for a public offering, Coinbase disclosed having 43 million verified users, 7,000 institutional clients, and 115,000 ecosystem partners spanning more than 100 countries.⁸⁴ In 2021, Coinbase, ahead of its planned direct listing on the Nasdaq, reported 43 million verified users, 7,000 institutional clients, and 115,000 ecosystem partners across more than 100 countries. The company generated $1.28 billion in revenue and $322 million

⁷⁹Coinbase, “Coinbase is a decentralized company, with no headquarters”, Achieved, Retrieved

⁸⁰The San Francisco Standard, “Coinbase signs massive San Francisco lease four years after paying $25M to leave”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2025

⁸¹Axios, “Coinbase to open office in 110 East”, Achieved, Retrieved June 2025

⁸²The Telegraph, “Coinbase UK makes £130m but growth slows as Bitcoin bubble bursts”, Achieved, Retrieved April 2019

⁸³CNBC, “Coinbase launches in more markets and plans ‘aggressive’ 2019 expansion”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2018

⁸⁴Securities and Exchange Commission, “Official Statement”, Achieved, Retrieved February 2021

in profit, with $868.5 million in operating expenses, reflecting significant growth from previous years.⁸⁵

On May 11, 2022, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated there was no risk of bankruptcy, even amid a “black swan” event, following an SEC-required disclosure that custodially held crypto assets could be affected. Coinbase pledged to enhance retail customer protections, aligning them with institutional safeguards, while the company’s shares dropped 16% after first-quarter revenue fell short of analyst expectations.⁸⁶

As of 2025, Coinbase serves over 108 million verified users, including 8.7 million monthly transacting users, and manages $425 billion in digital assets. Holding 12% of Bitcoin and 11% of staked Ether, it joined the S&P 500, acquired Deribit for ~$2.9 billion, achieved $6.71 billion revenue, and remains the largest regulated U.S. cryptocurrency exchange.⁸⁷

Legal compliance

Coinbase has been described as a conservative and law-abiding cryptocurrency exchange in comparison to its peers in the sector.

By 2025, Coinbase improved its BBB rating from "F" to "A+," with Coinbase One subscribers representing 5% of monthly users. The platform also underpins on-chain activity, supporting developers embracing on chain as the future of the internet.⁸⁸

Earlier, from 2018 to 2023, the company received an "F" rating from the bureau due to poor customer service.  In 2018, Coinbase claimed to have resolved past issues, yet the Better Business Bureau continued receiving numerous customer complaints, resulting in an "F" rating. Complaints included frozen funds and poor service, contrasting the company's claims of improved operations during rapid 2017 growth.⁸⁹

2018–2021: Crypto Chaos: Coinbase Users Speak Out

On February 16, 2018, Coinbase blamed Visa for unauthorized withdrawals affecting some users, including duplicate charges and overdraft fees. Visa denied responsibility, while Coinbase worked to implement new merchant codes, leaving customers frustrated over lost funds and financial confusion. ⁹⁰

Many cryptocurrency users expressed frustration after VISA and Mastercard reclassified purchases on platforms like Coinbase as cash advances, imposing high fees and immediate interest. Investors criticized the move as unfair, making Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies slower, costlier, and less accessible, fueling anger over financial middlemen restricting access to digital assets.⁹¹

On December 8, 2021, Coinbase faced backlash after a technical glitch with the GYEN stablecoin froze trading and locked customer accounts. Users demanded refunds, citing large potential losses and poor communication, highlighting risks in lightly regulated cryptocurrency markets.⁹²

In March 2021, Coinbase was fined $6.5 million by the CFTC for misleading trading volume data on Bitcoin and Litecoin between 2015–2018, highlighting past misconduct and regulatory scrutiny in cryptocurrency exchanges. ⁹³

⁸⁵The Motley Fool, “9 Numbers to Know About Coinbase Before It Goes Public”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2021

⁸⁶ Bloomberg, “Coinbase Says No Bankruptcy Risk Amid Black Swan Event”, Achieved, Retrieved May 2022

⁸⁷Coin Law, “Coinbase Statistics 2025: How Users and Revenue Are Climbing”, Achieved, Retrieved September 2025

⁸⁸Rockflow, “Why Coinbase Stock Could Hit $500 in 2025: Deep Dive into Revenue Streams and Crypto Market Expansion”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2025

⁸⁹Mashabble, “Coinbase says its problem days are over. Better Business Bureau disagrees.”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2018

⁹⁰ CNBC, “Major cryptocurrency wallet Coinbase blames Visa for unauthorized charges to users”, Achieved, Retrieved February 2018

⁹¹ Tech Crunch, “VISA and Mastercard make it harder to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies”, Achieved

⁹² CNBC, “Coinbase customers demand refunds over GYEN stablecoin glitch”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2021

⁹³ Engadget, “Coinbase fined $6.5 million over cryptocurrency trading claims”, Achieved, Retrieved March 2021

According to Quartz, in January 2022, Coinbase experienced an over 100% increase in customer complaints, reaching 889, mainly regarding unavailable funds. Rapid user growth overwhelmed the platform, prompting the hiring of additional support staff. Frustrated users and regulators criticized delays, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing surging demand for cryptocurrency trading services.⁹⁴

2022: Insider Trading Complaints (2022)

In July 2022, former Coinbase manager Ishan Wahi was arrested for insider trading, accused of leaking token-listing information to benefit relatives and friends. The SEC also filed civil charges against him and two others.⁹⁵

Ishan Wahi, his brother Nikhil Wahi, and associate Sameer Ramani were charged in the first U.S. cryptocurrency insider-trading case, accused of exploiting confidential token-listing information to generate over $1.5 million in illicit gains. Prosecutors said Ishan Wahi attempted to flee to India after being summoned by Coinbase security but was stopped by authorities. Coinbase shared internal investigation findings with prosecutors, stressing market fairness, as U.S. officials pursued landmark insider-trading cases involving digital assets.⁹⁶

In January 2023, Nikhil Wahi, brother of a former Coinbase manager, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for participating in a cryptocurrency insider-trading scheme involving confidential token-listing information.⁹⁷

In May 2023, Ishan Wahi was sentenced to two years in prison for leaking confidential information about upcoming crypto asset listings. The case marked the first U.S. criminal

conviction for cryptocurrency insider trading, reinforcing that securities laws apply to digital asset markets.⁹⁸

⁹⁴Quartz, “Coinbase’s customer complaints more than doubled in January”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2022

⁹⁵Bloomberg, “Ex-Coinbase Manager Arrested in US Crypto Insider-Trading Case”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2022

⁹⁶CNN Business, “U.S. charges ex-Coinbase manager in first crypto insider trading case”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2022

⁹⁷Reuters, “Ex-Coinbase manager's brother sentenced to 10 months in insider trading case”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2023

Legal Status and Regulator Concerns

On December 1, 2025, Coinbase released its Transparency Report covering October 2024–September 2025. The report disclosed 12,716 government and law-enforcement data requests from over 60 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., France, and Germany. Coinbase highlighted differing legal standards across jurisdictions and emphasized strict review, privacy safeguards, and compliance only with valid, lawful requests.⁹⁹

On July 25, 2024, the UK Financial Conduct Authority fined Coinbase’s UK unit, CBPL, £3.5 million (€4.16 million) for breaching a voluntary agreement signed in October 2020 prohibiting high-risk customers. Regulators found CBPL served 13,416 high-risk users through October 2023, facilitating $226 million in crypto transactions. The FCA warned the failures heightened money-laundering risks, while Coinbase said the onboarding was unintentional and reaffirmed its commitment to regulatory compliance.

On January 4, 2023, Coinbase agreed to pay a $50 million fine to the New York State Department of Financial Services for violating anti-money laundering laws. Regulators cited long-standing compliance failures. As part of the settlement, Coinbase committed an additional $50 million to strengthen monitoring, sanctions screening, and customer risk controls, while acknowledging shortcomings and pledging cooperation with regulators.¹⁰¹

On January 26, 2023, the Dutch central bank (DNB) fined the U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase €3.3 million for operating in the Netherlands without the required registration. Regulators said the violation breached anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing rules applicable to crypto service providers.¹⁰²

⁹⁸U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, "Former Coinbase Insider Sentenced In First Ever Cryptocurrency Insider Trading Case", Achieved, Retrieved May 2023

⁹⁹Coinbase, “Transparency Report 2025”, Achieved, Retrieved December 2025

¹⁰⁰Euro News, “Crypto firm Coinbase fined millions for serving high-risk customers”, Achieved, Retrieved July 2024

¹⁰¹The Verge, “Coinbase fined $50 million over claims it violated anti-money laundering laws”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2023

¹⁰²Reuters, “Dutch central bank fines cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase 3.3 mln euros”, Achieved, Retrieved January 2023