Rapid Growth of Tradable Assets

As of today, Coinbase has amassed an impressive roster of 139 tradable assets. This marks a staggering increase of 83 assets added in 2021 alone—nearly doubling the number accumulated in the previous eight years! With such rapid expansion, one might wonder, is this just a cash-grab or a calculated business strategy?

Profit Motive or User Demand?

Let’s get this straight: is Coinbase out to make a quick buck? Absolutely not! Sure, they’re raking in cash from trading fees, but the focus has shifted from sheer profit to genuinely addressing market demand. Coinbase started as a humble operation at a conference, armed with Bitcoin wallets and a few T-shirts. Today, it stands as the second-largest crypto exchange in the world, driven by a mission to satisfy its customers.

Are We Talking Securities Here?

With new listings popping up like weeds in spring, it’s reasonable to ask whether Coinbase is crossing any regulatory lines. The exchange has admitted to its role in guiding regulation to benefit the crypto economy. While the SEC has categorized some stablecoins as securities, Coinbase’s feature-rich platform continues adding assets with gusto. It seems that, as long as an asset is sufficiently decentralized, it remains in the clear—thank you, SEC’s former director of Corporation Finance, William Hinman!

Organized Ambition

One thing is clear: Coinbase doesn’t just throw darts at a board to decide which tokens to list; they’ve got a method to the madness! With a goal to onboard a billion customers, that ambition might sound reckless, but if you’re a believer in a decentralized, free financial system, you might just cheer them on. Coinbase likes to consider itself “agnostic” regarding the projects it lists, favoring those that align with their stringent criteria.

What Lies Ahead for Coinbase?

In 2021 alone, Coinbase saw a wave of 16 DeFi projects listed, solidifying that decentralized finance is here to stay. Following closely, 12 first-layer projects joined the lineup, alongside various decentralized exchange tokens and other emerging categories. This explosion of listing activity could be interpreted as a sign of bullish momentum for the industry. Ultimately, it places the ball in the court of individual investors: choose wisely, folks, because the SEC might be lurking in the background, ready to intervene!