Coinbase Refutes BlackRock IOU Rumors, Experts & CEO Armstrong Weigh In

As a seasoned researcher with years of experience in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, I find myself constantly navigating the turbulent waters of conspiracy theories and misinformation. The recent “BlackRock IOU” accusations against Coinbase were yet another intriguing episode in this digital saga.


Industry experts, along with Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, quickly dismissed claims suggesting that Coinbase was issuing Bitcoin IOUs.

crypto expert Tyler Durden, often vocal in his criticism, asserted during the weekend that Coinbase enables BlackRock, the manager of the biggest spot Bitcoin ETF, to take out cryptocurrency loans without offering any security or collateral as a guarantee.

Coinbase Armstrong Rejects “BlackRock IOU” Conspiracy Theory

In his subsequent remarks, Durden pointed out that the situation could be clearly classified as market manipulation and would potentially generate profits through price volatility. The allegations stemmed from a post by Tron founder Justin Sun, who took issue with Coinbase’s recently launched wrapped bitcoin product, cbBTC, due to its absence of Proof of Reserves or audits, and the ability to restrict account balances at will.

As per Sun:

In the United States, any legal summons issued by the government could potentially take control of your Bitcoins. This situation vividly illustrates how similar Bitcoin can be to traditional central bank assets. Today marks a somber occasion for Bitcoin.

In response to the current allegations, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong clarified that Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are created, destroyed, and then settled within a business day on the blockchain. He also noted that institutional clients can utilize trade financing and over-the-counter options before the trades are fully settled. This explanation seemed to have prompted Tyler Durden to withdraw his tweet.

The IOU crypto token functions similarly to an IOU notice, representing an obligation or debt between two individuals. For example, if you lend Bitcoin to a friend and wish to monitor the transaction, they might issue an IOU token. This token serves as evidence of the debt in your digital wallet.

Coinbase Conspiracy Debunked, Balchunas Supports BlackRock

James Seyffart, an analyst at Bloomberg ETF, dismissed the rumors and theories as unfounded. According to him, more companies, such as BlackRock, make their digital wallet addresses public for greater transparency. Notably, Bitwise, a firm that issues crypto-based Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, has followed this practice in both funds, as analysts point out.

Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas is incensed because the Bitcoin community blamed the recent market selling pressure on ETFs instead of “looking inward.”
He indicated that most Bitcoin investors are skeptical of government and big institutions, but BlackRock takes things seriously. According to him, the asset manager would not take it lightly in case of misconduct from Coinbase and its CEO Amrstrong regarding their Bitcoin.

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2024-09-17 23:21