Coinbase Files S-1 for IPO

Coinbase filed an S-1 Thursday morning, a significant step in gaining a listing on the Nasdaq. It’s like Christmas morning for the crypto-obsessed financial media, tearing into the document like wrapping paper on a new bike to pry into the private crypto-selling firm’s operations.

For starters, Coinbase was profitable in 2020, as it should be with ATH bitcoin prices. The company posted a net income of $322 million on net revenue of $1.14 billion. There was no listing price for shares, though according to Axios, private pre IPO shares to investors went as high as $373/share.

Coinbase said it had 43 million verified users, 2.8 million of which transact monthly. There are $90.3 billion in assets on the platform and $193 billion in volume traded last year. The majority of revenue comes from Bitcoin and Ethereum trading. In an age of sudden fintech SPAC IPOs, Coinbase is launching a stand-alone public offering.

The buzz on social media is over the first completely remote company listing. Coinbase stated, “In May 2020, we became a remote-first company. Accordingly, we do not maintain a headquarters.” Though someone pointed out on Twitter, Coinbase, Inc still files taxes through a San Franciscan address.

The pandemic might not be the only reason Coinbase went remote. US-based coin Ripple was recently sued by the SEC for violations of securities laws. Accordingly, in the “risk factors” section, along with a warning about the natural volatility of cryptocurrency prices, Coinbase describes the similarly ever-changing nature of crypto regulation.

“We are subject to an extensive and highly-evolving regulatory landscape and any adverse changes to, or our failure to comply with any laws and regulations could adversely affect our brand, reputation, business, operating results, and financial condition,” Coinbase said.

Another strange thing to see in an S-1 was that the form was sent to the unknown identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the person or group that created the currency itself. Coinbase somehow sent the S-1 to the founding Bitcoin block address at:

One of the risk factors Coinbase listed was the unforeseen result if Nakamoto was ever identified: “The identification of Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous person or persons who developed Bitcoin, or the transfer of Satoshi’s Bitcoins.”

Satoshi has never been truly identified beyond the initial launch of Bitcoin. Satoshi’s original block address has been sent 68 bitcoins since inception or more than $3.2 million at today’s valuation. Some other curiosities include the definitions page:

Kevin Travers was a Reporter at deBanked.