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☆ Coinbase picks Ireland as main EU hub amid Europe expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCoinbase picks Ireland as main EU hub amid Europe expansionPaul Grewal, Coinbase’s chief legal officer, discusses why the company is ramping up presence in Ireland amid a key piece of European crypto regulation.

Persons: Coinbase, Paul Grewal Organizations: EU Locations: Ireland

☆ KKR pours itself a thirst-quencher deal Down Under
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Trading information for KKR & Co is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., August 23, 2018. On Friday the U.S. asset manager said it had agreed to sell its 80% stake in Australian Venue to fellow private equity firm PAG six years after buying the pubs group. That means KKR has poured itself a tasty – and possibly frothy - internal rate of return. Assume KKR funded half the original acquisition with debt, and it increases to 32%. KKR’s local private equity boss David Lang and his team deserve a drink.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, that’s, That’s, David Lang, Antony Currie, Coinbase’s, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: KKR, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights MELBOURNE, Reuters, X, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, New Zealand

☆ Shein deal kills several birds with one stone
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Shein logo is pictured at the company’s office in the central business district of Singapore, October 18, 2022. REUTERS/Chen Lin Acquire Licensing RightsTORONTO, Aug 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Shein isn’t wasting any time in the U.S. battle for buyers of ultra-fast fashion. In exchange, Sparc will become a minority shareholder in Shein. The clever relationship kills a few birds with one stone. Shein is highly skilled at manufacturing TikTok-friendly wares, but has come under attack for its ESG credentials.

Persons: Chen Lin, Simon Property, Simon, Brooks, Sharon Lam, Coinbase’s, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Forever, Sparc, Authentic Brands, Authentic, X, Thomson Locations: Singapore, U.S, Shein, American

☆ India’s space startups are ready to blast off too
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Aug 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Nearly seven million people watched India’s space program make history on Wednesday. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) became the first to land near the moon’s unexplored south pole. Peak XV Partners, formerly Sequoia India and Southeast Asia, in June led a $10 million investment in Digantara, which maps space debris. At $74 million, the bill for India’s moon mission was less than the cost of producing 2013 Hollywood space thriller "Gravity". New Delhi is finalising new foreign direct investment rules, and that will likely turbocharge India’s space startups.

Persons: Amit Dave, Elon Musk, Singapore’s GIC, Pranav Kiran, Coinbase’s, Una Galani, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, SpaceX, XV Partners, Sequoia, Skyroot Aerospace, Hollywood, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad, India, Sequoia India, Southeast Asia, Digantara, New Delhi

☆ GAM’s end game still has a way to go
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Aug 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - GAM’s (GAMH.S) long-running takeover saga has entered a critical phase. The ball is now with the opposing shareholders, which control nearly 10% of the asset manager. The NewGAMe crowd has proposed issuing a 25 million Swiss franc convertible bond to give GAM some breathing space. But this won’t cover expected losses, restructuring charges and pension costs amounting to at least 100 million Swiss francs, GAM has calculated. As things stand, to win the game of rescuing this embattled asset manager, investors will have to dig deep.

Persons: Xavier Niel, Sarah Meyssonnier, NewGAMe’s, Lisa Jucca, Coinbase’s, Aimee Donnellan, Streisand Neto Organizations: French, REUTERS, Reuters, Management, GAM, X, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, French, Ukraine

Their new platform is cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global (COIN.O), which on Aug. 16 became the first crypto-focused firm to win approval to offer cryptocurrency futures to U.S. retail customers. Yet, trading volumes in derivatives decreased by nearly 13% in July to $1.85 trillion, the lowest monthly volume since December 2022 and second lowest derivatives trading volumes since 2021, research firm CCData reported. Derivatives made up 78.2% of the total cryptocurrency trading volume on centralized exchanges in July, CCData reported. Spot cryptocurrency trading volumes also fell 10.5% to $515 billion in the same period, CCData showed. This essentially means that there is potential for growth in derivatives trading.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lucas Kiely, languish, disinclined, Todd Groth, CCData, Dessislava Aubert, Lisa Mattackal, Medha Singh, Sumanta Sen, Vidya Ranganathan, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Derivatives, Research, Reuters, Thomson Locations: United States, Bengaluru

☆ Coinbase’s stablecoin bet pegs to wishful thinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The crypto exchange will take a minority stake in Circle Internet Financial, issuer of stablecoin USDC. Such tokens, designed to track the U.S. dollar, haven’t delivered on promises of transforming finance. Coinbase already earns interest from reserves backing USDC through a partnership with Circle, and doesn’t expect any new major financial benefit. Meanwhile, U.S. legislation to regulate the tokens is stalled, and PayPal’s (PYPL.O) stablecoin launch last month drew criticism from Representative Maxine Waters, among others. Coinbase, meanwhile, is cozying up to pillars of traditional finance like BlackRock (BLK.N).

Persons: haven’t, Coinbase, Maxine Waters, Brian Armstrong, Anita Ramaswamy, EY’s loveless, Jonathan Guilford, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, U.S ., Wall Street Journal, BlackRock, Twitter, TPG, Thomson

☆ Coinbase wins key regulatory approval to offer crypto futures in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Coinbase has won a crucial regulatory approval that will allow the platform to provide US-based investors access to the crypto derivatives market. The approval comes from the National Futures Association, a self-regulatory body designated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, nearly two years after Coinbase applied to register as a futures merchant. Crypto derivatives make up more than 75% of all global crypto trades, but such products had been off-limits for investors in the United States, in part because of their complexity and high levels of risk. “This is a significant milestone for bringing federal regulatory oversight over the crypto markets,” said Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase’s chief policy officer. “Offering US investors access to secure and regulated crypto futures is key to unlocking growth and enabling broader participation in the cryptoeconomy,” said Andrew Sears, the CEO of Coinbase Financial Markets.

Persons: New York CNN — Coinbase, Coinbase, ”, Faryar Shirzad, Andrew Sears Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Futures Association, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, NFA, Securities and Exchange Commission, Binance, Coinbase Locations: New York, United States

☆ Coinbase launches nonprofit crypto advocacy group
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Stand with Crypto Alliance is America’s first independent advocacy group for the crypto community, Coinbase says. Crypto regulation: Questions of who and howA central sticking point is the question of how crypto tokens should be regulated. The Securities and Exchange Commission, Wall Street’s top cop, contends that most crypto products are investment contracts and therefore fall under its jurisdiction — an argument the crypto industry is fighting. ‘Recess is over’The Stand With Crypto Alliance aims to mobilize “the full force of the decentralized crypto community to tell lawmakers: Recess is over,” Shirzad wrote in a blog post announcing the nonprofit. The Coinbase-backed nonprofit is an outgrowth of Crypto435, an earlier Coinbase campaign to try to organize the crypto community around legislative issues.

Persons: New York CNN —, Coinbase, Faryar, ” Crypto, —, Sam Bankman, Fried, ” Shirzad, we’ve, Shirzad Organizations: New, New York CNN, Crypto, CNN Business, Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Ripple Labs, Financial Services Committee, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Crypto Alliance Locations: New York

☆ Can Coinbase’s Blockchain Fix Its Losing Streak?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Vicky Ge Huang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-coinbases-blockchain-fix-its-losing-streak-cdc24a17

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ SEC request for Coinbase to halt trading would have been 'the end of the crypto industry,' CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The Securities and Exchange Commission asked Coinbase to halt trading on all cryptocurrencies except for bitcoin before it sued the company in June, Coinbase’s chief executive told the Financial Times. The SEC’s request left Coinbase, America’s largest crypto exchange, with no choice but to take the matter to court, CEO Brian Armstrong said, because stopping those trades would have “essentially meant the end of the crypto industry in the US,” he said. “We really didn’t have a choice at that point,” Armstrong told the FT in an interview published Monday. Recounting discussions with the regulator before the lawsuit, Armstrong told the FT that Coinbase had requested clarity on how the SEC determined that every digital asset other than bitcoin is a security. The SEC disagrees, and has often said that most crypto offerings are securities that should face the same government regulations on Wall Street as stocks and bonds.

Persons: Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, ”, “, ” Armstrong, Armstrong, we’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Securities, Exchange Commission, Financial Times, SEC, Coinbase Locations: New York

☆ Coinbase is a crypto conundrum, squared
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Anita Ramaswamy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Shares in Coinbase got a major boost after money management behemoth BlackRock (BLK.N) applied to launch a bitcoin-backed exchange-traded fund this month with Coinbase as its custodian. Coinbase shares are up nearly 54% in July, handily beating the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC), which rose 4%. Price targets range widely: analysts polled by Refinitiv think Coinbase is worth anywhere from $8 billion to nearly $50 billion. Coinbase investors would therefore be unwise to count on a judge delivering Coinbase a win. Given bitcoin’s current $584 billion market capitalization, that suggests $74 billion of ETFs would not be much of a stretch.

Persons: Brian Armstrong, Coinbase, behemoth BlackRock, –, Gary Gensler, there’s, Goldman Sachs, Cowen, Refinitiv, Armstrong, Sam Bankman, Larry Fink, Charles Schwab, doubters, Ripple, John Foley, Streisand Neto Organizations: YORK, Reuters, Securities and Exchange, Nasdaq, SEC, Citigroup, Commodity Futures, BlackRock, Bank, New York Mellon, Interactive, Securities and Exchange Commission, Thomson Locations: Washington, United States, U.S

☆ Coinbase CEO believes SEC lawsuit will benefit crypto industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is confident his battle with federal regulators will benefit the crypto industry, no matter how the judge rules. “Regardless of the outcome of the case, it’s a step towards clarity.”The Securities and Exchange Commission dealt another blow to the crypto industry on Tuesday by suing Coinbase, America’s largest crypto exchange. The SEC alleges Coinbase made billions of dollars facilitating the sale of crypto assets as an unregistered exchange, robbing investors of key protections along the way. ‘Icy reception’Armstrong questioned the timing of SEC Chairman Gary Gensler’s decision to file a lawsuit against his company just 24 hours after the agency accused Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, of mishandling customer funds. “They allowed us to become a public company,” Armstrong said.

Persons: Brian Armstrong, isn’t, ” Armstrong, Coinbase, Armstrong, “, Gary Gensler’s, Binance, “ He’s, Gensler, ”, I’ve, ‘, ‘ I’m, ’ ” Armstrong, ’, Gurbir Grewal, ” Coinbase, San, Coinbase wouldn’t, We’re, Adam Levitin Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Enforcement, “, SEC —, Georgetown Law Locations: New York, Washington, SEC’s, “ Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong, San Francisco

REUTERS/David SwansonJune 7 (Reuters) - Coinbase (COIN.O) Chief Executive Brian Armstrong on Wednesday hit back at the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair over the agency's lawsuit against the crypto exchange, calling him an "outlier," while also reassuring customers that their funds were safe. Crypto companies, including Coinbase, dispute that crypto tokens are securities and have repeatedly called for the SEC to create clear rules. SETTLEMENT BREAKDOWNLast July, Coinbase disclosed an SEC probe into its asset listing processes, staking programs and yield-generating products. Grewal said despite the lawsuit, Coinbase would still be interested in a dialogue with the SEC about how to bring cryptocurrency into the regulatory perimeter. "If there were an opportunity for a real conversation, of course we would take it up, but I want to be very clear: Coinbase is absolutely committed to defending itself in court," he said.

Persons: Brian Armstrong, David Swanson, Coinbase, Armstrong, Gary Gensler, Gensler, ” Armstrong, Binance, hasn’t, haven’t, Paul Grewal, Grewal, Hannah Lang, Manya Saini, Niket, Chris Prentice, Shounak Dasgupta, Michelle Price Organizations: Milken, Global Conference, REUTERS, U.S Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Bloomberg, Monday, CNBC, Reuters, U.S ., Appeals, Circuit, Thomson Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S, Solana, Cardano, Washington, Bengaluru

☆ Crypto Crackdown: Coinbase and Binance Lawsuits Shake Markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Ephrat Livni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

said Coinbase made billions of dollars facilitating the sale of crypto assets as an unregistered exchange and deprived investors of significant protections. Coinbase and the S.E.C. Last year, Coinbase petitioned the S.E.C. Binance is accused of funneling billions of dollars of customer money to a company owned separately by Mr. Zhao. In addition to those charges Binance, like Coinbase, is accused of operating an unregulated exchange and issuing crypto currencies that the agency said should have been registered as securities.

Persons: Coinbase, Paul Grewal, Mr, Grewal, Binance, Zhao Locations: U.S

☆ Crypto crackdown: Is there anywhere safe left for crypto investors in the US?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Look, we don’t need more digital currency,” Gensler told CNBC on Tuesday. “We already have digital currency: It’s called the US dollar. Many crypto investors appear to be abandoning so-called “alt-coins” and sticking with the relatively more reliable OG virtual currency, wrote Ed Moya, a senior market analyst with Oanda. Bottom line: “The SEC looks like it is playing Whac-A-Mole with crypto exchanges,” Moya wrote. Because of that, crypto investors will have to decide whether they are confident that the offerings on various exchanges will remain available to trade.

Persons: CNN Business ’, Binance, ”, Matt Levine, I’ll, Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, Gary Gensler, ” Gensler, “, It’s, Crypto, TD Cowen, Reena Aggarwal, Aggarwal, bitcoin, Ed Moya, ” Moya, —, you’ll Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, CNBC, Georgetown, Psaros, Financial Markets, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Oanda Locations: New York, United States, “, cryptos

☆ SEC sues Coinbase, calling it an unregistered crypto broker
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

On Tuesday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission sued Coinbase, America’s largest crypto exchange, for allegedly acting as an unregistered broker. “Since at least 2019, Coinbase has made billions of dollars unlawfully facilitating the buying and selling of crypto asset securities,” the SEC said in a press release. The Coinbase lawsuit comes on the heels of a similar SEC complaint against Binance, which is by far the world’s biggest crypto exchange. Since then, digital asset prices have tanked and regulators have stepped up their scrutiny of the industry. “It should get crypto closer to final rules of the road regardless of how the judge rules.”

Persons: Coinbase, “ Coinbase, ”, “, Binance, Nansen, Cowen Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Binance, SEC, CNN, Binance.US Locations: New York

☆ Coinbase Tries Novel Defense in SEC Fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Dave Michaels | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Crypto imploded in 2022, as investors lost faith in digital assets and the industry was plagued with crisis. Illustration: Mallory BranganWith the Securities and Exchange Commission preparing an enforcement action that threatens much of its business, crypto exchange Coinbase is trying a novel defense. Coinbase went public in April 2021 after clearing a six-month review. SEC staff bored into its financial reporting and disclosures as well as the company’s belief that its menu of cryptocurrencies shouldn’t be treated as securities, which the SEC regulates. Coinbase’s lawyers argue that by clearing the review, regulators signaled that they “did not think Coinbase’s core business was unlawful.”

☆ Coinbase, crypto industry hope new Supreme Court doctrine is silver bullet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Alison Frankel | Thomson Reuters | Alison Frankel Has Covered High-Stakes Commercial Litigation As A Columnist For Reuters Since A Dartmouth College Graduate | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But the agency will have to provide a more detailed response if Ripple, Coinbase or crypto groups that have filed friend-of-the-court briefs pushing major questions doctrine arguments manage to pique a judge’s interest. Former Coinbase manager Ishan Wahi expanded on the major questions theory last February in his motion to dismiss the SEC’s insider trading case. Under the major questions doctrine, they said, the SEC does not have the requisite Congressional authority to regulate digital assets. Coinbase’s contention in that paper, released last Thursday, is all-encompassing: The major questions doctrine, according to Coinbase counsel at Sullivan & Cromwell, “forecloses” regulation of the trillion-dollar crypto industry. But if the SEC moves ahead with a case against Coinbase, the major questions doctrine could turn out to be, well, a major question.

☆ 2022's stock losers are this year's winners so far
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But it’s still been a solid start to the year for the market — and many of last year’s losers have led the way on Wall Street so far in January. Discovery, which plunged nearly 60% last year, has surged 55% so far in 2023 and is the best performer in the S&P 500. Rising market tide lifting questionable boatsStill, some investors are worried this year’s market rally is eerily reminiscent of prior market bubbles. GameStop (GME) is up nearly 25%. “Most investors don’t realize the Fed has to fight the inflation in the stock market, too,” Trainer added.

☆ Coinbase says it will halt operations in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc on Wednesday said it will halt operations in Japan due to volatile market conditions. All Coinbase Japan customers will have until Feb. 16 to withdraw their fiat and crypto holdings, the company said in a blog post. Coinbase’s decision to exit comes only a few weeks after rival exchange Kraken said it, too, would cease its operations in Japan this month. Several firms have suffered from waning investor appetite for crypto after major exchange FTX blew up in September. The crypto sector’s woes have continued this year, marked by plunging deposits, layoffs and multiple legal hurdles.

☆ New York Financial Regulator Notches $100 Million Settlement With Coinbase
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

A $100 million settlement made public by the New York State Department of Financial Services on Wednesday underscores the agency’s intent to set the regulatory agenda for digital currencies. Coinbase also will spend $50 million to improve its compliance program over the next two years. The regulator oversees insurance companies and state-chartered banks and already plays an outsize role nationally in overseeing the financial services sector. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | Risk and Compliance Journal Our Morning Risk Report features insights and news on governance, risk and compliance. The agency credited Coinbase for its remediation efforts, including how it strengthened its onboarding process, according to the settlement agreement.

☆ Coinbase reaches $100 million settlement with New York regulators
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Coinbase, one of the most popular US crypto-trading platforms, agreed to a $100 million settlement after New York regulators found “significant failures” to comply with the state’s anti-money-laundering laws. The settlement includes a $50 million penalty Coinbase must pay to the New York Department of Financial Services and a pledge to spend $50 million to strengthen the company’t compliance program over the next two years. The regulator said it had installed an independent monitor to investigate, and that monitor will remain in place for at least another year as needed. Coinbase’s statement included reference to the so-called crypto winter — a chill that hit the industry in 2022, bringing down several companies, including Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX. “We recognize that the crypto industry is at an inflection point right now and that every public move by a crypto company will receive intense scrutiny,” Grewal said.

☆ Crypto exchanges enabled online child sex-abuse profiteer
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +22 min

These sites often included links for users to pay via crypto exchanges, the IWF told Reuters, declining to name companies. “For those people looking to make money from child sexual abuse, crypto has lowered the barrier,” said Dan Sexton, the IWF’s chief technology officer. The Dark Scandals website, owned by Michael Mohammad, instructs users to send tokens to a Dark Scandals digital wallet to purchase content. While banks and payment platforms demanded more details from online merchants, many crypto exchanges for years requested little or no information from clients. The IWF received more reports last year of websites selling child abuse imagery for crypto than any year prior.

☆ Crypto Advocacy Group Sues U.S. Treasury Over Tornado Cash Sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

A cryptocurrency research and advocacy group has filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions against cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash. In August, OFAC imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash, a currency mixer that enables users to co-mingle their funds in order to obfuscate ownership. OFAC accused Tornado Cash of laundering billions of dollars in virtual currency, including $455 million allegedly stolen by North Korean hackers. In September, however, OFAC clarified that the sanctions placed on Tornado Cash don’t prohibit U.S. individuals or businesses from interacting with open-source code itself, as long as it doesn’t involve a prohibited transaction with the Tornado Cash platform. The Coinbase suit also argues that these sanctions exceed Treasury’s statutory authority and infringe on the plaintiffs’ constitutional right to privacy.

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