Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange and platform in the United States, and one of the most widely used in the world. Founded in June 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam, Coinbase went public on the Nasdaq in April 2021 (ticker: COIN), becoming the first major crypto company to list on a US stock exchange.
Coinbase serves over 100 million verified users across more than 100 countries. The platform offers a suite of products for retail users, institutional investors, and developers:
- Coinbase — A simple interface for buying, selling, and storing cryptocurrencies with fiat currency (USD, EUR, GBP, and others). Supports hundreds of trading pairs.
- Coinbase Advanced — A full-featured trading platform (formerly Coinbase Pro) with advanced order types, charting, and lower fees for active traders.
- Coinbase Wallet — A self-custody mobile wallet for managing crypto, NFTs, and interacting with DeFi protocols. Users hold their own private keys.
- Coinbase Prime — Institutional-grade trading, custody, and financing for hedge funds, asset managers, and corporate treasuries.
- Base — An Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built by Coinbase using the OP Stack, providing low-cost transactions and a growing DeFi ecosystem.
Coinbase is known for its strong regulatory compliance posture. The company holds money transmitter licenses across US states and is registered with FinCEN. It provides regulated custody services and has been a vocal advocate for clear cryptocurrency regulation in the United States.
Coinbase is headquartered in a remote-first model and was founded in San Francisco, California. The company has made numerous acquisitions and investments across the crypto ecosystem.
Employees
Venture Capital Rounds
Coinbase: $0 million - IPO
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Description: Coinbase is an open financial system. Coinbase is a digital currency wallet and platform where merchants and consumers can transact with digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
Investors: Nasdaq Direct Listing (COIN)
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States
Coinbase: $300 million - Series E
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Description: Coinbase is an open financial system. Coinbase is a digital currency wallet and platform where merchants and consumers can transact with digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
Investors: Tiger Global Management, Y Combinator Continuity, Wellington Management, Andreessen Horowitz, Polychain Capital
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States
Coinbase: $10.5 million - Undisclosed
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Description: Founded in June of 2012, Coinbase is a bitcoin wallet and platform where merchants and consumers can transact with the new digital currency bitcoin. We're based in San Francisco, California.
Bitcoin is the world's most widely used alternative currency with a total market cap of approximately $3.5 billion. The bitcoin network is made up of thousands of computers run by individuals all over the world.
The service aims to be the easiest way to get started with Bitcoin. Its service is modeled to provide an experience familiar to those who are comfortable using PayPal.
Investors: Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital (MUCAP), Sozo Ventures
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States
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Coinbase: $75 million - Third
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Description: Founded in June of 2012, Coinbase is a bitcoin wallet and platform where merchants and consumers can transact with the new digital currency bitcoin. We're based in San Francisco, California.
Bitcoin is the world's most widely used alternative currency with a total market cap of approximately $3.5 billion. The bitcoin network is made up of thousands of computers run by individuals all over the world.
The service aims to be the easiest way to get started with Bitcoin. Its service is modeled to provide an experience familiar to those who are comfortable using PayPal.
Investors: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), USAA, BBVA, DoCoMo, Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) Growth Fund, Tim Draper, Union Square Ventures, Ribbit Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, Vikram Pandit, CEO Tom Glocer
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States
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Coinbase: $25 million - Second
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Investors: Andreessen Horowitz, Ribbit Capital, Union Square Ventures, QueensBridge Venture Partners, Anthony Saleh, Nasir "Nas" Jones
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States
Coinbase: $6.11 million - First
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Investors: Ribbit Capital, Union Square Ventures, Red Swan Ventures, SV Angel, Interplay Ventures, FundersClub
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States
Coinbase: $0.6 million - Seed
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Investors: Alexis Ohanian, Y Combinator, Greg Kidd, Garry Tan, FundersClub
Headquartered: San Francisco
Country: United States