Coinbase Global 10-Q 2022-03-31

Filed 2022-05-10. 8 sections, 495K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON

Cover and table of contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2022
OR
☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to .

Commission file number 001-04321

Coinbase Global, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware46-4707224
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
Not Applicable**(1)**Not Applicable**(1)**
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

Not Applicable(1)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value per shareCOINNasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports); and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer☐Accelerated filer☐
Non-accelerated filer☒Smaller reporting company☐
Emerging growth company☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

As of May 3, 2022, the number of shares of the registrant's Class A common stock outstanding was 173,706,582 and the number of shares of the registrant's Class B common stock outstanding was 48,310,152.

(1) We are a remote-first company. Accordingly, we do not maintain a headquarters. For purposes of compliance with applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, stockholder communications required to be sent to our principal executive offices may be directed to the email address set forth in our proxy materials and/or identified on our investor relations website.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Part I - Financial Information
Item 1. Financial Statements5
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets5
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations6
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income7
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders' Equity8
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows9
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements11
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations41
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk58
Item 4. Controls and Procedures60
Part II - Other Information
Item 1. Legal Proceedings61
Item 1A. Risk Factors62
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds132
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities133
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures133
Item 5. Other Information133
Item 6. Exhibits134
Signatures135

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q include, but are not limited to, statements about:

  • our future financial performance, including our expectations regarding our net revenue, operating expenses, and our ability to achieve and maintain future profitability;

  • our business plan and our ability to effectively manage our growth;

  • anticipated trends, growth rates, and challenges in our business, the cryptoeconomy, and in the markets in which we operate;

  • market acceptance of our products and services, including our recently launched NFT marketplace;

  • beliefs and objectives for future operations;

  • our ability to maintain, expand, and further penetrate our existing customer base;

  • our ability to develop new products and services and grow our business in response to changing technologies, customer demand, and competitive pressures;

  • our expectations concerning relationships with third parties;

  • our ability to maintain, protect, and enhance our intellectual property;

  • our ability to continue to expand internationally;

  • the effects of increased competition in our markets and our ability to compete effectively;

  • future acquisitions of or investments in complementary companies, products, services, or technologies and our ability to successfully integrate such companies or assets;

  • our ability to stay in compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to our business both in the United States and internationally;

  • economic and industry trends, projected growth, or trend analysis;

  • trends in revenue, cost of revenue, and gross margin;

  • trends in operating expenses, including Technology and development expenses, Sales and marketing expenses, and General and administrative expenses, and expectations regarding these expenses as a percentage of revenue;

  • our key business metrics used to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, and make strategic decisions;

  • increased expenses associated with being a public company; and

  • other statements regarding our future operations, financial condition, and prospects and business strategies.

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those described in the section titled Risk Factors and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on any forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We cannot assure you that the results, events, and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events, or circumstances could differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements.

Neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Moreover, the forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, restructurings, joint ventures, partnerships, or investments we may make.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

Risk Factors Summary

Consistent with the foregoing, our business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those risks discussed at length below. These risks include, among others, the following, which we consider our most material risks:

  • our operating results have and will significantly fluctuate due to the highly volatile nature of crypto;

  • our total revenue is substantially dependent on the prices of crypto assets and volume of transactions conducted on our platform. If such price or volume declines, our business, operating results, and financial condition would be adversely affected;

  • a majority of our net revenue is from transactions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. If demand for either of these crypto assets declines and is not replaced by new demand for other supported crypto assets, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected;

  • the future development and growth of crypto is subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to predict and evaluate. If crypto does not grow as we expect, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected;

  • cyberattacks and security breaches of our platform, or those impacting our customers or third parties, could adversely impact our brand and reputation and our business, operating results, and financial condition;

  • 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;

  • we operate in a highly competitive industry and we compete against unregulated or less regulated companies and companies with greater financial and other resources, and our business, operating results, and financial condition may be adversely affected if we are unable to respond to our competitors effectively;

  • we compete against a growing number of decentralized and noncustodial platforms and our business may be adversely affected if we fail to compete effectively against them;

  • as we continue to expand and localize our international activities, our obligations to comply with the laws, rules, regulations, and policies of a variety of jurisdictions will increase and we may be subject to inquiries, investigations and enforcement actions by U.S. and non-U.S. regulators and governmental authorities, including those related to sanctions, export control, and anti-money laundering;

  • we are and may continue to be subject to material litigation, including individual and class action lawsuits, as well as inquiries, investigations and enforcement actions by regulators and governmental authorities;

  • if we cannot keep pace with rapid industry changes to provide new and innovative products and services, the use of our products and services, and consequently our net revenue, could decline, which could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition;

  • a particular crypto asset’s status as a “security” in any relevant jurisdiction is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and if we are unable to properly characterize a crypto asset, we may be subject to regulatory scrutiny, inquiries, investigations, fines, and other penalties, which may adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition;

  • we currently rely on third-party service providers for certain aspects of our operations, and any interruptions in services provided by these third parties may impair our ability to support our customers;

  • loss of a critical banking or insurance relationship could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition;

  • any significant disruption in our products and services, in our information technology systems, or in any of the blockchain networks we support, could result in a loss of customers or funds and adversely impact our brand and reputation and our business, operating results, and financial condition;

  • our failure to safeguard and manage our customers’ fiat currencies and crypto assets could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition; and

  • the theft, loss or destruction of private keys required to access any crypto assets held in custody for our own account or for our customers may be irreversible. If we are unable to access our private keys or if we experience a hack or other data loss relating to our ability to access any crypto assets, it could cause regulatory scrutiny, reputational harm, and other losses.

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements

Coinbase Global, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except par value data)

(unaudited)

March 31,December 31,
20222021
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents$6,116,388$7,123,478
Restricted cash27,11130,951
Customer custodial funds10,023,38510,526,233
USDC179,885100,096
Accounts and loans receivable, net of allowance346,048396,025
Income tax receivable56,76761,231
Prepaid expenses and other current assets191,068135,849
Total current assets16,940,65218,373,863
Crypto assets held1,333,333988,193
Lease right-of-use assets91,43198,385
Property and equipment, net65,86159,230
Goodwill1,080,176625,758
Intangible assets, net219,128176,689
Other non-current assets1,164,613952,307
Total assets$20,895,194$21,274,425
Liabilities, Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Custodial funds due to customers$9,742,961$10,480,612
Accounts payable12,65039,833
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities647,960439,559
Crypto asset borrowings485,564426,665
Lease liabilities, current32,68832,366
Total current liabilities10,921,82311,419,035
Lease liabilities, non-current66,42574,078
Long-term debt3,386,8653,384,795
Other non-current liabilities23,98814,828
Total liabilities14,399,10114,892,736
Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)
Stockholders’ equity:
Class A common stock, $0.00001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021; 173,015 and 168,807 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively22
Class B common stock, $0.00001 par value; 500,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021; 48,310 and 48,310 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively——
Additional paid-in capital2,579,2162,034,658
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(3,890)(3,395)
Retained earnings3,920,7654,350,424
Total stockholders’ equity6,496,0936,381,689
Total liabilities, convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ equity$20,895,194$21,274,425

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Coinbase Global, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021
Revenue:
Net revenue$1,164,891$1,596,981
Other revenue1,545204,131
Total revenue1,166,4361,801,112
Operating expenses:
Transaction expense277,826234,066
Technology and development570,664184,225
Sales and marketing200,204117,990
General and administrative413,578121,231
Other operating expense, net258,627155,887
Total operating expenses1,720,899813,399
Operating (loss) income(554,463)987,713
Interest expense22,138—
Other expense (income), net32,844(8,953)
(Loss) income before income taxes(609,445)996,666
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes(179,786)225,203
Net (loss) income$(429,659)$771,463
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders:
Basic$(429,659)$301,896
Diluted$(429,659)$387,719
Net (loss) income per share attributable to common s

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. The following discussion and analysis contain forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the section titled Risk Factors in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires, references to “we,” “our,” “us,” “the Company,” and “Coinbase” refer to Coinbase Global, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Executive Overview

This executive overview of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) highlights selected information and does not contain all of the information that is important to readers of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

The first quarter of 2022 continued a trend of both lower crypto asset prices and volatility that began in late 2021. These market conditions directly impacted our results for the first quarter of 2022. We believe these market conditions are not permanent and we remain focused on the long-term. In fact, we believe that our investment in our business now is especially critical as these periods of low volatility can provide the opportunity to focus more intently on product development than is possible during peak periods when we are more focused on meeting high demand.

During the first quarter of 2022, we made good progress on our product development, highlighted by the beta launch of Coinbase NFT in April 2022, growing adoption of Coinbase Wallet, expansion of our staking offering through the addition of Cardano, and hiring of over 1,200 full-time employees to help us build the future of crypto.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022, our total net revenue was $1.2 billion, including $1.0 billion in transaction revenue, and, as of March 31, 2022, MTUs were 9.2 million. Our financial results generally declined for the first quarter of 2022 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 due to lower trading volumes in connection with softer market conditions. Subscription and services revenues was $152 million, representing 13% of total net revenue. Due to lower transaction revenue and our commitment to invest heavily this year, our net loss was $430 million and Adjusted EBITDA was $20 million.

Key Business Metrics

In addition to the measures presented in our condensed consolidated financial statements, we use the following key business metrics to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, and make strategic decisions:

Three Months Ended March 31,% Change
20222021
Verified Users(1) (in millions)985481%
MTUs (in millions)9.26.151
Assets on Platform (in billions)$256$22315
Trading Volume (in billions)$309$335(8)
Net (loss) income (in millions)$(430)$771(156)
Adjusted EBITDA(2) (in millions)$20$1,117(98)

(1)We discovered that the Verified Users metric previously disclosed as of March 31, 2021 did not exclude load testing users, which caused the metric to be overstated. This overstatement was not repeated in the Verified Users metric disclosed in subsequent quarters. Accordingly, the Verified Users metric as of March 31, 2021 has been revised from 56 million to 54 million.

(2)Please see the section titled Non-GAAP Financial Measure for a reconciliation of net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA and an explanation for why we consider Adjusted EBITDA to be a helpful metric for investors.

Verified Users

We define “Verified Users” as all retail users, institutions, and ecosystem partners that have registered an account on our platform and confirmed either their email address or phone number, or that have established an account with a username on our non-custodial wallet application, as of the date of measurement. Verified Users are an indication of our scale. These customers have demonstrated an interest in our platform or direct intent to transact with crypto assets. Verified Users represent the top level of our customer acquisition funnel. Verified Users may overstate the number of unique customers who have registered an account on our platform as one customer may register for, and use, multiple accounts with different email addresses, phone numbers, or usernames.

Monthly Transacting Users

We define an “MTU” as a retail user who actively or passively transacts in one or more products on our platform at least once during the rolling 28-day period ending on the date of measurement. MTUs presented for the end of a quarter are the average of each month’s MTUs in each respective quarter. MTUs represent our transacting base of retail users who drive potential revenue generating transactions on our platform. MTUs engage in transactions that generate both Transaction revenue and Subscription and services revenue. Revenue generating transactions include active transactions, such as buying or selling crypto assets through our Invest product or passive transactions such as earning a staking reward. MTUs also engage in transactions that are non-revenue generating such as send and receive. MTUs may overstate the number of unique retail users due to differences in product architecture or user behavior.

Assets on Platform

We define “Assets on Platform” as the total U.S. dollar equivalent value of both fiat currency and crypto assets held or managed in digital wallets on our platform, including our custody services, calculated based on the market price on the date of measurement. Assets on Platform demonstrates the scale of balances held across our suite of products and services, the trust customers place in us to securely store their assets, and the underlying growth of the cryptoeconomy. Assets on Platform also represent our monetization opportunity for subscription products and services, including current products such as Custody, Stake, Borrow, and Lend. Assets on Platform generate fees that are recorded as Subscription and services revenue when customers engage with these products.

The value of Assets on Platform is driven by three factors – the price, quantity, and type of crypto assets held by customers on our platform. Changes in the price and quantity, particularly for Bitcoin and Ethereum, or type of crypto asset held on our platform, can result in the growth or decline in Assets on Platform in a particular period. Our Assets on Platform by asset are as follows:

As of March 31,
20222021
Assets on Platform:
Bitcoin42%62%
Ethereum24%14%
Other crypto assets31%21%
Fiat4%3%
Total(1)100%100%

(1)Figures presented above may not sum precisely due to rounding

During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, no asset other than Bitcoin and Ethereum individually represented more than 10% of our Assets on Platform.

Trading Volume

We define “Trading Volume” as the total U.S. dollar equivalent value of matched trades transacted between a buyer and seller through our platform during the period of measurement. Trading Volume represents the product of the quantity of asset transacted and the trade price at the time the transaction was executed. As trading activity directly impacts Transaction revenue, we believe this measure is a reflection of liquidity on our order books, trading health, and the underlying growth of the cryptoeconomy. Trading Volume on our platform is influenced by the price of crypto assets and Crypto Asset Volatility1. In periods of high crypto asset prices and Crypto Asset Volatility, we have experienced correspondingly high levels of Trading Volume on our platform. Our Trading Volume in future periods will depend on the relative availability and adoption of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Other crypto assets.

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021
Trading Volume (in billions):
Retail$74$120
Institutional235215
Total$309$335
Trading Volume by crypto asset:
Bitcoin24%39%
Ethereum2121
Other crypto assets5540
Total100%100%
Transaction revenue by crypto asset:
Bitcoin25%41%
Ethereum2319
Other crypto assets5240
Total100%100%

Crypto assets other than Bitcoin and Ethereum, or Other crypto assets, contributed a greater share of Trading Volume during the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021. Approximately 55% of our total Trading Volume for the three months ended March 31, 2022, came from Other crypto assets, up from 40% for the three months ended March 31, 2021. This trend is consistent with the overall crypto market, where crypto assets other than Bitcoin and Ethereum comprised a larger percent of spot market trading volumes during the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021. Additionally, we continue to add trading support for new crypto assets, which contributes to the increased trading concentration in Other crypto assets. As of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, we supported trading for 166 and 51 crypto assets, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, no asset other than Bitcoin and Ethereum individually represented more than 10% of our Trading Volume or Transaction revenue, respectively.

1 “Crypto Asset Volatility” represents our internal measure of crypto volatility in the market relative to prior periods. The volatility of crypto assets is measured on an hourly basis (using 10 minute price intervals within each hour) for each crypto asset supported for trading on Coinbase, averaged over the applicable time period (quarterly), then weighted by each crypto asset’s share of total trading volume during the same time period across a select set of trading platforms, in addition to the Coinbase platform, that operate in similar markets including itBit, Bitfinex, Bitstamp, bitFlyer, Binance.US, Binance, Kraken, Gemini, Bittrex, and Poloniex.

Components of Results of Operations

Net revenue

Transaction revenue

We generate substantially all of our net revenue from transaction fees from trades that occur on our platform. The transaction fee earned is based on the price and quantity of the crypto asset that is bought, sold, or converted. Transaction revenue is recognized at the time the transaction is processed and is directly correlated with Trading Volume on our platform.

Subscription and services revenue

Subscription and services revenue primarily consists of:

  • Blockchain rewards: We derive Blockchain rewards through various blockchain protocols. These blockchain protocols, or the participants that form the protocol networks, reward users for performing various activities on the blockchain, such as participating in proof-of-stake networks. We earn Blockchain rewards in crypto assets.

Our Staking revenue is included within Blockchain rewards. Our blockchain services offered as part of Coinbase Cloud’s blockchain infrastructure solutions are included in Other subscription and services revenue.

  • Custodial fee revenue: We derive custodial fee revenue based on a percentage of the daily value of customer crypto assets that we hold under custody in our dedicated cold storage solution. The value of crypto assets held under custody is driven by the same factors as Assets on Platform - the quantity, price, and type of crypto asset.

  • Earn campaign revenue: We provide asset issuers with a platform to engage with our users through education videos and tasks where users can earn crypto assets that they learned about. We earn a commission based on the amount of crypto assets distributed to our users.

  • Interest income: We earn interest income on fiat funds under a revenue sharing arrangement and on customer custodial fiat funds held at certain third-party banks, which is calculated using the interest method. Our interest income is dependent on the balance of such fiat funds and the prevailing interest rate environment. We also earn interest income on loans granted to our retail and institutional users.

  • Other: Other subscription and services revenue primarily includes revenue from Coinbase Cloud and subscription licenses.

Other revenue

Other revenue includes the sale of crypto assets when we are the principal in the transaction. Periodically, as an accommodation to customers, we may fulfill customer transactions using our own crypto assets. We fulfill customer accommodation transactions using our own assets for orders that do not meet the minimum trade size for execution on our platform or to maintain customers’ trade execution and processing times during unanticipated system disruptions. We have custody and control of these crypto assets prior to the sale to the customer and record revenue at the point in time when the sale is processed. Accordingly, we record the total value of the sale as revenue and the cost of the crypto asset in Other operating expense, net. Transactions involving our sale of crypto assets represented less than 0.1% of our total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022.

Other revenue also includes interest income earned primarily on our corporate cash and cash equivalents. Interest income is calculated using the interest method and depends on the balance of cash and cash equivalents as well as the prevailing interest rate environment.

Operating expenses

Operating expenses consist of Transaction expense, Technology and development, Sales and marketing, General and administrative, and Other operating expense, net.

Transaction expense

Transaction expense includes costs incurred to operate our platform, process crypto asset trades, and perform wallet services. These costs include account verification fees, miner fees to process transactions on blockchain networks, fees paid to payment processors and other financial institutions for customer transaction activity, and crypto asset losses due to transaction reversals. Transaction expense also includes rewards paid to users for blockchain activities conducted by us, such as staking. Fixed-fee costs are expensed over the term of the contract and transaction-level costs are expensed as incurred.

Technology and development

Technology and development expenses include personnel-related expenses incurred in operating, maintaining, and enhancing our platform. These costs also include website hosting, infrastructure expenses, costs incurred in developing new products and services and the amortization of acquired developed technology.

Sales and marketing

Sales and marketing expenses primarily include costs related to customer acquisition, advertising and marketing programs, and personnel-related expenses. Sales and marketing costs are expensed as incurred.

General and administrative

General and administrative expenses include personnel-related expenses incurred to support our business, including legal, finance, compliance, human resources, customer support, executive, and other support operations. These costs also include software subscriptions for support services, facilities and equipment costs, depreciation, amortization of acquired customer relationship intangible assets, gains and losses on disposal of fixed assets, legal reserves and settlements, and other general overhead. General and administrative costs are expensed as incurred.

Other operating expense, net

Other operating expense, net includes impairment and realized gains on the sale of crypto assets, realized gains and losses resulting from the settlement of derivative instruments, and fair value gains and losses related to derivatives and derivatives designated in qualifying fair value hedge accounting relationships.

Other operating expense, net also includes cost of our crypto assets used to fulfill customer accommodation transactions. Periodically, as an accommodation to customers, we may fulfill customer transactions using our own crypto assets held for operating purposes. We have custody and control of the crypto assets prior to the sale to the customer. Accordingly, we record the total value of the sale in Other revenue and the cost of the crypto asset in Other operating expense, net.

Interest expense

Interest expense on debt includes coupon interest expense, as well as amortization of debt discounts and debt issuance costs.

Other expense (income), net

Other expense (income), net includes the following items:

  • gains and losses on investments, net, which consists primarily of realized and unrealized gains and losses from fair value adjustments on investments; and

  • realized impacts on foreign exchange resulting from the settlement of our foreign currency assets and liabilities as well unrealized impacts on foreign exchange resulting from remeasurement of transactions and monetary assets and liabilities denominated in non-functional currencies.

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes includes income taxes related to foreign jurisdictions and U.S. federal and state income taxes.

Results of Operations

The following table summarizes the historical condensed consolidated statements of operations data:

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021
(in thousands)
Revenue:
Net revenue$1,164,891$1,596,981
Other revenue1,545204,131
Total revenue1,166,4361,801,112
Operating expenses:
Transaction expense277,826234,066
Technology and development570,664184,225
Sales and marketing200,204117,990
General and administrative413,578121,231
Other operating expense, net258,627155,887
Total operating expenses1,720,899813,399
Operating (loss) income(554,463)987,713
Interest expense22,138—
Other expense (income), net32,844(8,953)
(Loss) income before income taxes(609,445)996,666
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes(179,786)225,203
Net (loss) income$(429,659)$771,463

The following table presents the components of the condensed consolidated statements of operations data as a percentage of total revenue:

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021
(as a % of total revenue)
Total revenue100%100%
Operating expenses:
Transaction expense2413
Technology and development4910
Sales and marketing177
General and administrative357
Other operating expense, net229
Total operating expenses14846
Operating (loss) income(48)54
Interest expense2—
Other expense (income), net2—
(Loss) income before income taxes(52)54
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes(15)13
Net (loss) income(37)%41%

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021

Revenue

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021% Change
(in thousands)
Transaction revenue$1,013,036$1,540,580(34)%
Subscription and services revenue151,85556,401169
Other revenue1,545204,131(99)
Total revenue$1,166,436$1,801,112(35)

Transaction revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022 decreased by $527.5 million or 34% compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, due to the following:

  • Crypto Asset Volatility of 8.3 for the three months ended March 31, 2022, representing a decrease of 33% from the three months ended March 31, 2021. Trading Volume on our platform is correlated with Crypto Asset Volatility; and

  • a decrease in retail Trading Volume of 38%, due to a decrease in both the average price of Bitcoin and Other crypto assets.

A number of factors contribute to changes in crypto asset prices and Crypto Asset Volatility, including, but not limited to, changes in the supply and demand for a particular crypto asset, crypto market sentiment, macroeconomic factors, utility of a particular crypto asset, and idiosyncratic events.

Subscription and services revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $95.5 million or 169% compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, due to the following:

  • an increase in Blockchain rewards of $72.6 million, mainly as a result of increased user participation in reward generating activities, including, predominantly Staking activities such as ETH 2.0 Staking which was launched in the second quarter of 2021;

  • an increase in participation and delegation revenue of $11.2 million due to growth in Coinbase Cloud; and

  • an increase in custodial fee revenue of $8.2 million, due to an increase in the average assets under custody of $17.5 billion over the same period. The growth in assets under custody was driven by new and existing customers and an increase of 40 assets supported by custody during the three months ended March 31, 2022.

Other revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022 decreased by $202.6 million or 99%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, due to a decrease in crypto assets sales revenue over the same period. We generated revenue from crypto asset sales where the transactions are fulfilled with our crypto assets to accommodate customers, primarily as a result of unanticipated system disruptions. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, we did not experience any unanticipated system disruptions compared to five unanticipated system disruptions for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The number of unanticipated system disruptions significantly declined over the same period as we continued to make significant investments in database and network infrastructure to support heightened trading volumes on our platform.

Operating expenses

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021% Change
(in thousands)
Transaction expense$277,826$234,06619%
Technology and development570,664184,225210
Sales and marketing200,204117,99070
General and administrative413,578121,231241
Other operating expense, net258,627155,88766
Total operating expenses$1,720,899$813,399112

Transaction expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $43.8 million or 19%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021. Transaction expense as a percentage of net revenue was 23.8% and 14.7% during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, respectively.

The increase in Transaction expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, was predominantly due to the following:

  • an increase of $59.4 million related to rewards paid or payable to users from blockchain activities such as staking; and

  • an increase of $18.5 million in transaction reversal losses; offset by

  • a decrease of $37.7 million related to miner fees driven by transaction volume decrease and lower blockchain network fees such as Ethereum gas prices.

Technology and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $386.4 million or 210%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, predominantly due to the following:

  • an increase of $286.2 million in personnel-related expenses, including a $183.3 million increase in stock based compensation expense, due to a 162% increase in headcount growth and the issuance of equity instruments in conjunction with business combinations and

  • an increase of $75.0 million in software and service costs, driven by continued investment in our products and platform. We expect that these costs will continue to increase in the future as we scale our teams and deliver new products and services for the cryptoeconomy.

Sales and marketing expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $82.2 million or 70%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021. Sales and marketing as a percentage of net revenue was 17.2% and 7.4% during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, respectively.

The increase in Sales and marketing for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, was due to the following:

  • an increase of $49.1 million predominantly due to offline advertising as well as conference and event sponsorships; and

  • an increase of $24.2 million in personnel-related expenses, including a $11.4 million increase in stock-based compensation, due to a 246% increase in headcount growth; offset by

  • an increase of $5.1 million in customer referral and promotion fees related to marketing initiatives such as sweepstakes and incentivized campaigns.

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022, increased by $292.3 million, or 241%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, predominantly driven by the following:

  • an increase of $121.9 million in personnel-related expenses, including a $52.8 million increase in stock-based compensation, due to a 239% increase in headcount growth;

  • an increase of $94.6 million in customer support costs related to contingent workforce and managed services due to business growth to support customer experience and compliance;

  • an increase of $21.1 million in equipment and furniture as well as software license cost related to an increase in headcount growth and business growth; and

  • an increase of $17.8 million in professional services including legal fees largely due to business expansion and consulting services related to litigation, regulatory and compliance.

Other operating expense, net for the three months ended March 31, 2022, increased by $102.7 million, or 66%, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021, respectively, due to the following:

  • an increase of $227.1 million gross impairment charges on crypto assets held during the quarter, Impairment charges, net of any recoveries, amounted to $209.8 million which relate to the crypto assets still held as of March 31, 2022;

  • an increase of $47.8 million due to certain platform-related incidents and losses;

  • a decrease of $13.3 million in digital asset realized gains; offset by

  • a decrease of $185.9 million attributed to crypto assets sold in order to fulfill customer accommodation transactions primarily as a result of a decrease in the unanticipated system disruptions.

Interest expense

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021% Change
(in thousands)
Interest expense$22,138$—100%

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, we had interest expense on debt of $22.1 million compared to zero for the three months ended March 31, 2021 due to our Convertible Notes issued in May 2021, our Senior Notes issued in September 2021 and short-term borrowings outstanding during the first quarter of 2022.

Other expense (income), net

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021% Change
(in thousands)
Other expense (income), net$32,844$(8,953)(467)%

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, we had Other expense (income), net of $32.8 million loss compared to a $9.0 million gain for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The change of $41.8 million in losses is due to a net change in realized and unrealized losses from foreign exchange of $20.7 million and $10.3 million, respectively, due to the timing of Euro denominated intercompany settlements, and the absence of the remeasurement gain of $8.8 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021 related to our previously held investment in Bison Trails, as a result of the acquisition that occurred in February 2021.

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021% Change
(in thousands)
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes$(179,786)$225,203**

** Percentage not meaningful.

The (benefit from) provision for income tax decreased by $405.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2021. The reduction in tax was largely due to the decrease in pretax income and by the increase in tax benefits for certain stock-based compensation and research and development credits,

Non-GAAP Financial Measure

In addition to our results determined in accordance with GAAP, we believe Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, is useful in evaluating our operating performance. We use Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that Adjusted EBITDA may be helpful to investors because it provides consistency and comparability with past financial performance. However, Adjusted EBITDA is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, has limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. Among other non-cash and non-recurring items, Adjusted EBITDA excludes stock-based compensation expense, which has recently been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense for our business and an important part of our compensation strategy. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate similarly titled non-GAAP measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison. A reconciliation is provided below for each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the related GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business

We calculate Adjusted EBITDA as net loss or income, adjusted to exclude provision for or benefit from income taxes, depreciation and amortization, interest expense, crypto asset borrowing costs, stock-based compensation expense, impairment, net, non-recurring Direct Listing expenses, unrealized gain or loss on foreign exchange, fair value gain or loss on derivatives and non-recurring legal reserves and related costs.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA:

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021
(in thousands)
Net (loss) income$(429,659)$771,463
Adjusted to exclude the following:
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes(179,786)225,203
Depreciation and amortization31,58010,922
Interest expense22,138—
Crypto asset borrowing costs1,4364,273
Stock-based compensation352,141104,628
Impairment, net(1)210,997841
Non-recurring Direct Listing expenses—4,160
Unrealized loss (gain) on foreign exchange7,389(2,869)
Fair value loss (gain) on derivatives3,452(2,800)
Legal reserves and related costs—1,500
Adjusted EBITDA$19,688$1,117,321

(1)Impairment, net represents impairment on crypto assets still held and intangible assets.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and USDC

As of March 31, 2022, we had cash and cash equivalents of $6.1 billion, exclusive of restricted cash and customer custodial funds. Cash equivalents consisted primarily of cash deposits and money market funds denominated in U.S. dollars. As of March 31, 2022, we had restricted cash of $27.1 million which consisted primarily of amounts held in restricted bank accounts at certain third-party banks as security deposits or pledged as collateral to secure letters of credit.

As of March 31, 2022, we had $179.9 million of USDC, a stablecoin which can be redeemed one USDC for one U.S. dollar on demand. While not accounted for as cash or cash equivalent, we treat our USDC holdings as a liquidity resource.

Debt

In September 2021, we issued $2.0 billion in Senior Notes consisting of $1.0 billion of 2028 Senior Notes due on October 1, 2028 and $1.0 billion of 2031 Senior Notes due on October 1, 2031. In May 2021, we issued an aggregate of $1.44 billion of 2026 Convertible Notes that mature on June 1, 2026, unless converted, redeemed or repurchased on an earlier date. We periodically issue short-term debt to support certain business operations. See Notes 8. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities and 9. Indebtedness for further information regarding our short and long-term borrowings, respectively.

Crypto Assets

In August 2021, we announced our plans to invest $500 million as well as 10% of our quarterly net income into a diversified portfolio of crypto assets. Our investments will be deployed over a multi-quarter window. We continue to execute all trades away from our crypto asset trading platform to avoid any conflict of interest with our customers. We may increase or decrease our allocation over time as the cryptoeconomy matures.

As of March 31, 2022, we held $765.4 million of crypto assets for investment and operating purposes at impaired cost. Our future earnings and cash flows will be impacted when we choose to monetize our crypto assets and the variability of our earnings will be dependent on the future fair value of such crypto assets. We have limited ability to predict whether the sale of crypto assets received from airdrops or forks will be material to our future earnings, which is dependent on the future market liquidity, viability and fair value of such crypto assets. Our current policy is not to monetize unsupported forks or airdrops held on our platform. Crypto assets received through airdrops and forks, at the time of the airdrop or fork and at the end of the periods presented, are not material to our financial statements.

As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the cost basis and fair value of our crypto assets held at impaired cost, was as follows:

March 31,December 31,
20222021
Cost**(1)**Fair value**(2)**Cost**(1)**Fair value**(2)**
(in millions)
Crypto assets held as investments:
Bitcoin$173.7$376.4$87.9$265.8
Ethereum165.4312.746.1167.1
Other148.6354.775.4263.1
Total crypto assets held as investments487.71,043.8209.4696.0
Crypto assets held for operating purposes:
Bitcoin33.641.195.597.9
Ethereum60.381.258.275.4
Other183.8256.6203.4267.5
Total crypto assets held for operating purposes277.7378.9357.1440.8
Total crypto assets held$765.4$1,422.7$566.5$1,136.8

(1)Cost amounts shown are net of impairment recognized.

(2)The fair value of crypto assets held is based on quoted market prices for one unit of each crypto asset reported on our platform at 11:59 pm Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the last day of the respective period multiplied by the quantity of each crypto asset held.

We view our crypto asset investments as long term holdings and we do not plan to engage in regular trading of crypto assets. During times of instability in the market of crypto assets, we may not be able to sell our crypto assets at reasonable prices or at all. As a result, our crypto assets are less liquid than our existing cash and cash equivalents and may not be able to serve as a source of liquidity for us to the same extent as cash and cash equivalents. Customer accommodations are fulfilled with crypto assets held for operational purposes. We recognized $141.7 million of impairment expense on our crypto asset investment portfolio for the three months ended March 31, 2022.

Cash Requirements and Contractual Obligations

Certain jurisdictions where we operate require us to hold eligible liquid assets, as defined by applicable regulatory requirements and commercial law in these jurisdictions, equal to at least 100% of the aggregate amount of all custodial funds due to customers. Depending on the jurisdiction, eligible liquid assets can include cash and cash equivalents, customer custodial funds, and in-transit funds receivable. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, our eligible liquid assets were greater than the aggregate amount of custodial funds due to customers. We are also required to hold corporate liquid assets at our subsidiaries to meet capital requirements established by our regulators based on the value of crypto assets held in custody.

Our cash flow from operating activities may materially fluctuate from period-to-period based on movement within our custodial funds due to customer liability. Since our customer custodial funds are included in cash and cash equivalents, any large fluctuations in the related liability will directly impact our cash flow from operating activities. In the short term, we believe our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient for at least the next 12 months to meet our requirements and plans for cash, including meeting our working capital and capital expenditure requirements. In the long term, our ability to meet our requirements and plans for cash, including meeting our working capital and capital expenditure requirements, will depend on many factors, including market acceptance of crypto assets and blockchain technology, our growth, our ability to attract and retain customers on our platform, the continuing market acceptance of our products and services, the introduction of new subscription products and services on our platform, expansion of sales and marketing activities, and overall economic conditions. We anticipate satisfying our short-term cash requirements with our existing cash and cash equivalents and may satisfy our long-term cash requirements with cash and cash equivalents on hand or with proceeds from a future equity or debt financing.

To the extent that current and anticipated future sources of liquidity are insufficient to fund our future business activities and cash and other requirements, we may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing. The sale of additional equity would result in additional dilution to our stockholders. The incurrence of additional debt financing would result in debt service obligations and the instruments governing such debt could provide for operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. In the event that additional financing is required from outside sources, there is a possibility we may not be able to raise it on terms acceptable to us or at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital when desired, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Our material cash requirements and contractual obligations arising in the normal course of business primarily consist of operating lease commitments, non-cancelable purchase obligations, debt and related interest payments, and income taxes. With respect to operating lease commitments, which consists of operating leases for corporate offices as of March 31, 2022, the total amount of lease payments due is $105.4 million, with $27.3 million due prior to December 31, 2022. With respect to non-cancelable purchase obligations, which consists of committed spend relating to advertising and technology, as of March 31, 2022, the total amount due was $394.1 million, with $316.3 million due prior to December 31, 2022. See Notes 8. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities, 9. Indebtedness and 14. Income Taxes to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for further information relating to debt and income taxes as of March 31, 2022.

Cash flows

Three Months Ended March 31,
20222021
(in thousands)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities$(830,114)$3,411,765
Net cash used in investing activities(691,591)(37,910)
Net cash provided by financing activities13,43459,820
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash$(1,508,271)$3,433,675
Effect of exchange rates on cash$(5,507)$16,231
Change in customer custodial funds$(502,848)$2,528,384

Operating activities

We assess our cash flow from operating activities by adjusting for the change in customer custodial funds. We use this as a more accurate indicator of our cash growth and our ability to invest in our infrastructure and people to achieve our strategic objectives.

Net cash used in operating activities was $830.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, of which $738.8 million related to cash from the change in custodial funds due to customers. Our net cash used in operating activities, other than from custodial funds due to customers, reflected a Net loss of $429.7 million, partially offset by non-cash adjustments of $412.6 million, which were driven by benefits from deferred income taxes and realized gains on crypto assets driven by net crypto assets received from operating activities. This was partially offset by stock-based compensation expense, impairment expense, depreciation and amortization expense, non-cash lease expense and unrealized losses on foreign exchange. In addition to these changes were changes in operating assets and liabilities of $74.3 million.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $3.4 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2021, of which $2.4 billion related to cash from the change in custodial funds due to customers. Our net cash provided by operating activities, other than from custodial funds due to customers, reflected net income of $771.5 million, non-cash adjustments of $55.2 million, which were driven by $104.6 million in stock-based compensation, $10.9 million in depreciation and amortization, and $9.0 million in non-cash lease expense. This was partially offset by $32.8 million in realized gains on crypto assets, $25.1 million of net crypto assets received from operating activities and $2.8 million in fair value derivative adjustments. In addition to these changes were changes in operating assets and liabilities, other than custodial funds due to customers, of $230.0 million.

Investing activities

Net cash used in investing activities of $691.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was due to $470.3 million in net outflow for the purchase and sale of crypto assets, $186.2 million in net cash paid in the Unbound Security and FairXchange acquisitions, $25.8 million in investments of companies and technologies and $9.1 million in capitalized internal-use software development costs.

Net cash used in investing activities was $37.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 primarily related to net cash paid in the Bison Trails acquisition of $16.5 million, $9.2 million in investments of companies and technologies, $7.8 million in net outflow from the purchase and sale of crypto assets, and $4.4 million in capitalized internal-use software development costs.

Financing activities

Net cash provided by financing activities of $13.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, was due to $149.4 million of proceeds received from the issuance of short-term borrowings, net of issuance costs, $16.9 million of proceeds from the issuance of common stock from stock option exercises, net of repurchases, and $9.0 million of proceeds received under the employee stock purchase plan. This was partially offset by $141.8 million of taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards and $20.0 million in repayments of short-term borrowings.

Net cash provided by financing activities of $59.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was primarily due to $59.4 million of proceeds from the issuance of common stock from stock option exercises.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. In preparing the condensed consolidated financial statements, we make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, stockholders’ equity, revenue, expenses, and related disclosures. We re-evaluate our estimates on an on-going basis. Our estimates are based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Because of the uncertainty inherent in these matters, actual results may differ from these estimates and could differ based upon other assumptions or conditions.

Except as described in Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, there have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates as compared to the critical accounting policies and estimates disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 25, 2022.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2. Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements in the section titled in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a discussion about new accounting pronouncements adopted and not yet adopted as of the date of this report.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Market risk is the risk associated with the effect of changes in market factors on the value of the assets and liabilities held on our balance sheet, including interest rates, foreign exchange rates, prices of crypto assets, or volatilities such as market volatility or product liquidity.

Interest rate risk

We had cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash and customer custodial funds, of $16.2 billion and $17.7 billion as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Our investment policy and strategy related to our cash and cash equivalents and customer custodial funds is to preserve capital and meet liquidity requirements without increasing risk. Our cash and cash equivalents primarily consist of cash deposits and money market funds. We also earn interest income from a revenue agreement we hold with the issuer of USDC. Changes in interest rates would primarily impact interest income due to the relatively short-term nature of our investments. A hypothetical 100 basis points increase or decrease in interest rates would have resulted in a $43.1 million increase or decrease in total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022.

Foreign currency risk

We have exposure to foreign currency translation gains and losses arising from our net investment in international subsidiaries. The revenues, expenses, and financial results of these subsidiaries are recorded in the functional currency of the countries that these subsidiaries are located in, which is primarily Euros and Japanese Yen. Accordingly, changes in exchange rates may negatively affect our future revenue and other operating results in these international subsidiaries upon translation into U.S. dollars. At this time, we do not, but we may in the future, enter into derivatives or other financial instruments in an attempt to hedge our foreign currency exchange risk. It is difficult to predict the impact hedging activities would have on our operating results. A 10% increase or decrease in current exchange rates would not have a material impact on our financial results.

Market volatility and other risks associated with derivatives

We have exposure to derivatives and related hedges measured at fair value. Market risk on derivatives is the exposure created by potential fluctuations in market prices and other factors and is a function of the type of derivative product, the volume of transactions, the tenor and terms of the agreement and the underlying volatility.

As of March 31, 2022, we have an embedded derivative asset of $249.9 million, as well as embedded derivative liabilities of $136.6 million as a result of entering into transactions to borrow crypto assets, which are recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. In addition, we have an embedded derivative asset of $5.3 million for accounts receivable that is denominated in crypto assets and a derivative asset of $2.4 million for short positions on futures contracts to minimize the exposure on the changes in the fair value price of Crypto assets held. Both of these derivative assets are recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheets in Accounts and loans receivable, net of allowance. A 10% increase or decrease in the fair value of the derivative positions would not have a material impact on our financial results. For more information, see Notes 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, and 10. Derivatives, of the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q .

Market price risk of crypto assets

We generate substantially all of our total revenue from transaction fees on our platform in connection with the purchase, sale, and trading of crypto assets by our customers. Transaction revenue is based on transaction fees that are either a flat fee or a percentage of the value of each transaction and may vary depending on payment type and the value of the transaction. We also generate total revenue from our subscription products and services and, while revenue from these products and services have not been significant to date, most of this revenue will also fluctuate based on the price of crypto assets. Accordingly, crypto asset price risk could adversely affect our operating results. In particular, our future profitability may depend upon the market price of BTC and ETH, as well as Other crypto assets. Crypto asset prices, along with our operating results, have fluctuated significantly from quarter to quarter. There is no assurance that crypto asset prices will reflect historical trends. A decline in the market price of BTC, ETH and Other crypto assets could have a material and adverse effect on our earnings, the carrying value of our crypto assets, and our future cash flows. This may also affect our liquidity and our ability to meet its ongoing obligations.

We record impairment charges on our crypto assets held when crypto asset prices decrease below the carrying value of these crypto assets. As of March 31, 2022, a 10% decrease in crypto asset prices would not have a material impact on our impairment charges. For more information, see Note 6. Goodwill, Intangible Assets, net, and Crypto Assets Held of the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q .

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Our management, with the participation and supervision of our Chief Executive Officer (our principal executive officer) and our Chief Financial Officer (our principal financial officer), have evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were, in design and operation, effective at a reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by Rule 13a-15(d) and 15d-15(d) of the Exchange Act that occurred during the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Inherent Limitations on the Effectiveness of Controls

The effectiveness of any system of internal control over financial reporting, including ours, is subject to inherent limitations, including the exercise of judgment in designing, implementing, operating, and evaluating the controls and procedures, and the inability to eliminate misconduct completely. Accordingly, in designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any system of internal control over financial reporting, including ours, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable, not absolute assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and that management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs. Moreover, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. We intend to continue to monitor and upgrade our internal controls as necessary or appropriate for our business but cannot assure you that such improvements will be sufficient to provide us with effective internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

For a description of material legal proceedings in which we are involved, see Note 16, Commitments and Contingencies, in the notes to our condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is incorporated herein by reference.

We are not presently a party to any other legal or regulatory proceedings that in the opinion of our management, if determined adversely to us, would individually or taken together have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition, or cash flows. However, we are subject to regulatory oversight by numerous state, federal, and foreign regulators and we are and we may become subject to various legal proceedings, inquiries, investigations, and demand letters that arise in the course of our business. For example, we have received investigative subpoenas and other inquiries from various state attorneys general for documents and information pertaining to our business practices and policies, customer complaints, asset launches, certain ongoing litigation, and certain transfers of crypto assets. In addition, we have received investigative subpoenas from the SEC and similar subpoenas and demand letters from various state regulators for documents and information about certain of our customer programs, operations, and intended future products, including our stablecoin and yield-generating products. Also for example, in January 2021, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing issued an investigative subpoena for documents and information related to certain of our business practices and policies, and the matter is ongoing. We intend to cooperate fully with such investigations. These examples are not exhaustive.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the section titled Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of or that we deem immaterial may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. If any of the following risks occur, our business, operating results, financial condition and future prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the market price of our Class A common stock could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.

Risk Factors

The Most Material Risks Related to Our Business and Financial Position

Our operating results have and will significantly fluctuate due to the highly volatile nature of crypto.

Our operating results are dependent on crypto assets and the broader cryptoeconomy. Due to the highly volatile nature of the cryptoeconomy and the prices of crypto assets, our operating results have, and will continue to, fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter in accordance with market sentiments and movements in the broader cryptoeconomy. Our operating results will continue to fluctuate significantly as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are unpredictable and in certain instances are outside of our control, including:

  • our dependence on offerings that are dependent on crypto asset trading activity, including trading volume and the prevailing trading prices for crypto assets, whose trading prices and volume can be highly volatile;

  • our ability to attract, maintain, and grow our customer base and engage our customers;

  • changes in the legislative or regulatory environment, or actions by U.S. or foreign governments or regulators, including fines, orders, or consent decrees;

  • regulatory changes that impact our ability to offer certain products or services;

  • our ability to diversify and grow our Subscription and services revenue;

  • pricing for our products and services;

  • investments we make in the development of products and services as well as technology offered to our ecosystem partners, international expansion, and sales and marketing;

  • adding crypto assets to, or removing from our platform;

  • market conditions of, and overall sentiment towards, the cryptoeconomy;

  • macroeconomic conditions;

  • adverse legal proceedings or regulatory enforcement actions, judgments, settlements, or other legal proceeding and enforcement-related costs;

  • the development and introduction of existing and new products and services by us or our competitors;

  • increases in operating expenses that we expect to incur to grow and expand our operations and to remain competitive;

  • system failure, outages or interruptions, including with respect to our crypto platform and third-party crypto networks;

  • our lack of control over decentralized or third-party blockchains and networks that may experience downtime, cyber-attacks, critical failures, errors, bugs, corrupted files, data losses, or other similar software failures, outages, breaches and losses;

  • breaches of security or privacy;

  • inaccessibility of our platform due to our or third-party actions;

  • our ability to attract and retain talent; and

  • our ability to compete with our competitors.

As a result of these factors, it is difficult for us to forecast growth trends accurately and our business and future prospects are difficult to evaluate, particularly in the short term. In view of the rapidly evolving nature of our business and the cryptoeconomy, period-to-period comparisons of our operating results may not be meaningful, and you should not rely upon them as an indication of future performance. Quarterly and annual expenses reflected in our financial statements may be significantly different from historical or projected rates. Our operating results in one or more future quarters may fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. As a result, the trading price of our Class A common stock may increase or decrease significantly.

Our total revenue is substantially dependent on the prices of crypto assets and volume of transactions conducted on our platform. If such price or volume declines, our business, operating results, and financial condition would be adversely affected.

We generate substantially all of our total revenue from transaction fees on our platform in connection with the purchase, sale, and trading of crypto assets by our customers. Transaction revenue is based on transaction fees that are either a flat fee or a percentage of the value of each transaction. For our retail brokerage product, we also charge a spread to ensure that we are able to settle purchases and sales at the price we quote to customers. We also generate total revenue from our subscription products and services and, while revenues from these products and services are growing, they have not been significant to date, most of this revenue will also fluctuate based on the price of crypto assets. As such, any declines in the volume of crypto asset transactions, the price of crypto assets, or market liquidity for crypto assets generally may result in lower total revenue to us.

The price of crypto assets and associated demand for buying, selling, and trading crypto assets have historically been subject to significant volatility. For instance, in 2017, the value of certain crypto assets, including Bitcoin, experienced steep increases in value, and our customer base expanded worldwide. The increase in value of Bitcoin from 2016 to 2017 was followed by a steep decline in 2018, which adversely affected our net revenue and operating results. The price and trading volume of any crypto asset is subject to significant uncertainty and volatility, depending on a number of factors, including:

  • market conditions of, and overall sentiment towards, crypto assets;

  • changes in liquidity, market-making volume, and trading activities;

  • trading activities on other crypto platforms worldwide, many of which may be unregulated, and may include manipulative activities;

  • investment and trading activities of highly active retail and institutional users, speculators, miners, and investors;

  • the speed and rate at which crypto is able to gain adoption as a medium of exchange, utility, store of value, consumptive asset, security instrument, or other financial assets worldwide, if at all;

  • decreased user and investor confidence in crypto assets and crypto platforms;

  • negative publicity and events relating to the cryptoeconomy;

  • unpredictable social media coverage or “trending” of, or other rumors and market speculation regarding crypto assets;

  • the ability for crypto assets to meet user and investor demands;

  • the functionality and utility of crypto assets and their associated ecosystems and networks, including crypto assets designed for use in various applications;

  • retail user preferences and perceived value of crypto assets and crypto asset markets;

  • increased competition from other payment services or other crypto assets that exhibit better speed, security, scalability, or other characteristics;

  • regulatory or legislative changes and updates affecting the cryptoeconomy;

  • the characterization of crypto assets under the laws of various jurisdictions around the world;

  • the adoption of unfavorable taxation policies on crypto asset investments by governmental entities;

  • the maintenance, troubleshooting, and development of the blockchain networks underlying crypto assets, including by miners, validators, and developers worldwide;

  • the ability for crypto networks to att

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Item 5. Other Information

Not applicable

Item 6. Exhibits

Incorporated by Reference
Exhibit NumberDescriptionFormFile No.ExhibitFiling DateFiled or Furnished Herewith
3.1Amended and Restated Bylaws8-K001-4028934.14/20/2022
31.1Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Exchange Act, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002X
31.2Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Exchange Act, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002X
32.1*Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002X
32.2*Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002X
101.INSInline XBRL Instance Document (the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document)X
101.SCHInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema DocumentX
101.CALInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase DocumentX
101.DEFInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase DocumentX
101.LABInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase DocumentX
101.PREInline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase DocumentX
104The cover page from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, formatted as in iXBRL and contained in Exhibit 101X
  • The certifications furnished in Exhibits 32.1 and 32.2 hereto are deemed to accompany this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and are not deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of the Exchange Act.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

COINBASE GLOBAL, INC.
Date: May 10, 2022By:/s/ Brian Armstrong
Brian Armstrong Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Date: May 10, 2022By:/s/ Alesia J. Haas
Alesia J. Haas Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)