Coinbase opens the door to more crypto listings with Asset Hub

The U.S. digital currency exchange plans to significantly increase its service offerings this year.

Coinbase, the San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange, has announced a new platform designed to help issuers list their assets more efficiently — and, possibly, without having to go through the cumbersome listing process currently employed by the firm. 

Coinbase Asset Hub is a “simple, streamlined product for issuers to list their assets and business” with the exchange, said Surojit Chatterjee, Coinbase’s CTO. “The goal is a single interface at Coinbase for digital asset issuers to manage the full lifecycle of their assets,” he said.

The platform, which was introduced on Thursday, will maintain a robust evaluation process to ensure that every asset meets Coinbase’s legal, compliance and security requirements. Beyond that, issuers can get started with Asset Hub by filling out a formal application.

The application asks the issuer to list the asset name and ticker symbol, as well as answer a few questions about their product. Applicants are then taken through the compliance review process.

Some in the industry consider a Coinbase listing to be the gold standard for cryptocurrency projects because it opens the door to tens of millions of investors. It also provides participants with an easy way to convert fiat money into digital assets without having to first deposit Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH).

Although Coinbase conducts periodic reviews of cryptocurrency projects, getting listed on the main Coinbase platform isn’t easy. Currently, over 40 assets are listed. Its professional trading platform, Coinbase Pro, provides access to over 90 assets. 

2021 is shaping up to be a highly ambitious year for Coinbase. The firm is reportedly in talks with Goldman Sachs to help launch its initial public offering, which could be slated for later this year. The platform has brought in tens of billions of dollars in institutional capital over the past year, highlighting the growing demand for digital assets.

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