Blockstream CEO Adam Back Slams Coinbase, Here’s Why

As a researcher with a background in blockchain technology and crypto economics, I’ve followed the developments at Coinbase Exchange closely over the years. The recent controversy surrounding the exchange’s perceived reluctance to process Bitcoin (BTC) donations to the Donald Trump campaign organization is an intriguing turn of events.


As a researcher, I’ve come across an intriguing development in the cryptocurrency world. The CEO of Blockstream, Adam Back, has raised concerns about Coinbase Exchange. He claims that Coinbase has shown disdain towards Bitcoin by allegedly refusing to process donations in the form of BTC to the Donald Trump campaign organization.

Lightning Network Makes History

The conversation began when Bitcoin Magazine announced that the Lightning Network had achieved a historic first by facilitating bitcoin transactions for the erstwhile US President, Donald Trump. This groundbreaking event serves as further evidence of the increasing acceptance of significant industry advancements among high-profile American political figures.

As a researcher studying the crypto trading market, I’ve observed that, given its size and influence, many anticipated that Coinbase would play a significant role in processing Bitcoin payments. However, during a recent conversation, the CEO of Blockstream brought up an intriguing point: OpenNode, a startup specializing in Bitcoin infrastructure for business transactions, has reportedly been outpacing Coinbase in this area. Unfortunately, at present, Coinbase does not support direct Bitcoin transactions, making it less competitive in this regard.

A user of X made an effort to shield Coinbase, pointing out that accepting Bitcoin payments poses intricate challenges for the exchange due to its rigorous regulatory oversight. It’s important to mention that despite being a publicly traded company, Coinbase continues to face several legal disputes with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Although Coinbase may have considered this a reasonable exit strategy, Adam Back took a contrasting perspective. He pointed out that the primary issue for Coinbase was their focus on listing “questionable cryptocurrencies,” or as some would say, “shitcoins.”

As a researcher, I’ve come across some statements made by Back in response to criticism regarding Coinbase’s stance on Bitcoin versus shitcoins. In his own words, he clarified, “It’s not complicated at all, it’s intentional. We don’t particularly care for Bitcoin and are instead promoting altcoins. The excuse given a few months ago by another Coinbase representative about transactions versus donations doesn’t apply here and was misleading.”

Beyond Bitcoin: Coinbase Banter is Growing

Despite the trading platform’s assertions that it follows the most stringent listing standards, criticism and accusations from Blockstream CEO continue to surface. According to previous Coingape reports, the firm has recently added full trading support for Shiba Inu (SHIB), FLOKI, and BONK. This move further substantiates the memecoin-friendly stance of Back, the platform.

As a market analyst, I’ve observed that Coinbase has gained significant attention, yet faces criticism regarding network congestions. On certain instances, these congestions lead to halts in some of its operations. Numerous industry experts have voiced their concerns over Coinbase’s failure to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to support its expanding user base.

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2024-06-02 18:51