Coinbase Announces End of wBTC Trading, Promotes cbBTC As a Replacement

Key takeaways

• Coinbase will stop trading Wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC) on December 19, citing concerns over listing standards."
• The move aligns with Coinbase launching its own wrapped Bitcoin token, cbBTC, on the Base blockchain.
• BitGo, the provider of wBTC, has faced scrutiny after partnering with BiT Global, a company linked to Justin Sun.

Coinbase Delists wBTC Amid Listing Standards Concerns

Coinbase announced that it would remove Wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC) from its platform by December 19, 2024. The exchange cited listing standards" as the reason for this decision.

In a tweet, the exchange confirmed the delisting, stating:

We regularly monitor the assets on our exchange to ensure they meet our listing standards. Based on our most recent review, Coinbase will suspend trading for wBTC on December 19, 2024, on or around 12:00 pm ET."

Coinbase emphasized that it regularly reviews all assets to ensure they meet its requirements. Meanwhile, there has not been any particular removal from its platform. Instead, Coinbase only claims that the decision to delist wBTC was made based on the most recent review."

The Wrapped BTC team shared their disappointment with Coinbase's decision to delist Wrapped Bitcoin. They stated on X that wBTC remains committed to compliance, transparency, and decentralization."

Also, the team describes wBTC as the most decentralized wrapped BTC solution on the market."

Wrapped BTC (wBTC), introduced by BitGo, allows Bitcoin to operate on non-native blockchains like Ethereum. It functions as a token backed by Bitcoin, enabling seamless integration with decentralized applications.

This delisting closely follows Coinbase's launch of cbBTC, a wrapped Bitcoin token on its Base blockchain.

According to its announcement, cbBTC is fully backed by one actual Bitcoin held in its reserves. This means for every cbBTC in circulation, there's an equivalent Bitcoin securely stored by Coinbase.

The introduction of cbBTC shows Coinbase's push to establish its version of wrapped Bitcoin.

Controversy Surrounding BitGo and Justin Sun's BiT Global

BitGo's Wrapped Bitcoin recently attracted scrutiny due to its partnership with BiT Global, a custodian linked to Justin Sun. This relationship raised concerns among some in the crypto community about the centralization risks associated with wBTC.

BitGo's CEO, Mike Belshe, clarified in an X live session that BiT Global's legal structure limits individual ownership to less than 20%. He also assured that keys to the assets are distributed across multiple parties.

Belshe defended the partnership, stating: We are a fiduciary today, and it's our duty to ensure that the assets are protected, regardless of where they are held."

The BitGo CEO also criticized Coinbase's cbBTC, suggesting it lacked the decentralized structure necessary for DeFi. He argued that Coinbase's approach centralizes control, which contradicts the principles of decentralized finance.

According to Belshe: If the DeFi community picks central bank Coinbase as the ultimate steward, then I think all DeFi hope should be lost."

Debate Over Centralization in DeFi

Critics have questioned Coinbase's decision to replace wBTC with cbBTC, arguing it could lead to increased centralization.Belshe believes Coinbase's model risks creating a system controlled by a central authority.

Despite the criticism, Coinbase's move marks a significant shift in the competition for wrapped Bitcoin dominance. The debate underscores the broader struggle between centralization and decentralization in the crypto space.

The delisting of wBTC and the launch of cbBTC will likely reshape how Bitcoin interacts with Ethereum and Base blockchains.

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