SEC’s “hostile regulatory environment” benefits Coinbase

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan believes that recent regulatory scrutiny could play a role in Coinbase’s favor and benefit the company in facing the SEC.

The U.S. SEC has recently issued a Wells notice to Robinhood Crypto, indicating a potential enforcement action for securities violations. This regulatory scrutiny is playing a significant role in shaping the competitive landscape among crypto exchanges, particularly benefiting Coinbase, according to Hougan.

In a post on the social media platform X, Hougan argued that the stringent regulatory environment inadvertently creates a competitive advantage for Coinbase by establishing an artificial moat around its operations. This advantage allows Coinbase to maintain high profit margins and achieve substantial earnings in the short term.

Coinbase, despite its ongoing disputes with the SEC, reported a revenue of $1.6 billion for the first quarter of 2024, fueled by increased transaction fees from institutional and consumer clients. The company’s financial success comes amidst broader regulatory actions, including last year’s lawsuit against Coinbase by the SEC, which accused the company of operating as an unregistered exchange, broker, and clearing agency. The regulator has also criticized Coinbase’s staking and wallet services.

Robinhood Crypto, a direct competitor, facilitates trading for various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Shiba Inu (SHIB). Other entities have encountered similar regulatory challenges in the crypto space, such as decentralized crypto exchange Uniswap and Ethereum development studio Consensys, which received Wells notices from the SEC last month.

Hougan highlighted that despite regulatory hurdles, Coinbase is using this period to bolster its finances and diversify its operations.

“What’s impressive is that they are using this opportunity to both raise cash and massively diversified their business,” he said.

Bitwise, the company Hougan represents, has also been active in the crypto market, being the custodian for eight of nine spot Bitcoin ETFs trading since January 2024.