Crypto lenders are the institutions situated between consumers and the untamed, blockchain-based, and often unregulated space of cryptocurrencies. As such, they are in a peculiar position when it comes to responsibility towards their customers and the assets for which they provide services. Consequently, when choosing which currencies to support, lenders lead a delicate dance of responsibility, a balancing act between catering to popular demand and adding cryptocurrencies that are sustainable, worthwhile and safe. Demand vs. approval: The question of endorsement It’s unsurprising that in a nascent industry full of new investors, a lender’s asset integration is often taken for endorsement. …
Brian Armstrong, founder and CEO of United States cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, has confessed that “Bitcoin is my first love” in a series of tweets commemorating the coin’s 10th birthday, Jan. 3. Summing up a thread in which he explained how he entered the industry and built one of its most successful firms, Armstrong wrote: “Bitcoin is one of the most important inventions of all time and has launched a global movement. It's awesome to see an entire ecosystem spring up around it, but Bitcoin is my first love.” Armstrong pointed out that Bitcoin is still the most popular asset both …
Major U.S. crypto exchange and wallet provider Coinbase has raised $300 million in a fresh funding round that brings its post-money valuation to $8 billion, according to an official blog post published today, Oct. 30. The Series E equity financing round was reportedly led by investment firm Tiger Global Management, with participation from a host of backers well-known for their investments in the crypto space, such as Y Combinator Continuity, Wellington Management, Andreessen Horowitz, and Polychain, among others. According to Coinbase, the funds will be used to “accelerate” the adoption of cryptocurrencies, with plans to build infrastructure to support regulated …
Major U.S. crypto wallet provider and exchange service Coinbase has refuted “inaccurate” media reports that the platform engages in proprietary trading, in an official statement published Thursday, September 20. According to Coinbase, media coverage has “inaccurately characterized” the results of the New York Virtual Markets Integrity Report, to which Coinbase had voluntarily contributed information about its practices by participating in a Virtual Markets Integrity Initiative Questionnaire. Coinbase yesterday cited the report, with the view to “correct the record”: “The report states: ‘Coinbase disclosed that almost twenty percent of executed volume on its platform was attributable to its own trading.’” However, …
Nasdaq-listed cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase reportedly continues to face some system difficulties after experiencing a major connectivity problem. Both Coinbase brokerage and its trading platform Coinbase Pro were unavailable on Nov. 23 due to connectivity issues on both platforms, Coinbase Support officially reported. “This may cause failed trades, delayed transactions, and unexpected behavior on the webpage and mobile apps,” Coinbase said. The exchange said it resolved the issue as of 2:00 a.m. UTC on Nov. 24 as the problem was no longer affecting Coinbase products and services. According to Coinbase’s incident and scheduled maintenance history, the firm took less than two …