Coinbase CEO Armstrong Says Not Shutting Down Staking Service

The country’s largest exchange will continue to offer staking services despite facing lawsuits over the service from federal and state regulators.

AccessTimeIconJun 7, 2023 at 8:26 p.m. UTC
Updated Jun 8, 2023 at 6:53 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) will continue operating its crypto staking service despite facing lawsuits from state and federal regulators over the program and several of its other offerings, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said Wednesday at the Bloomberg Invest Conference.

“We're not going to wind down our staking service,” Armstrong said. “Again, as these court cases play out, it's really business as usual.” He noted that the exchange’s staking service accounts for about 3% of overall net revenue.

His comments came after the SEC on Tuesday sued Coinbase for a swath of violations, including allegations the company sold unregistered securities. A ten-state coalition led by the Alabama Securities Commission also took aim at the exchange, slapping Coinbase with allegations the company’s staking program had violated various state securities laws.

Coinbase’s staking service is a cornerstone of the company’s strategy to diversify its largely trading fee-dependent revenue base. In 2022, roughly 90% of the company’s revenue came from transaction fees, but the company’s earnings have plunged as a prolonged crypto bear market has caused some investors to turn away from trading.

Armstrong insisted Coinbase would not be at risk of a bank-run-like rush of withdrawals similar to those some of its peers have suffered. “All the funds are backed one-to-one, and you don't have to take our word for it,” Armstrong said. “As a public company, we have auditors … who have gone in and verified all that.”

Edited by Stephen Alpher.

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Elizabeth Napolitano

Elizabeth Napolitano was a news reporter at CoinDesk.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


Read more about