Coinbase CEO Fires Back At Justin Sun's Allegations On cbBTC Transparency

Highlights

Brian Armstrong refuted Justin Sun's claims, stating cbBTC was always presented as a centralized custodian product.
Armstrong confirmed Coinbase’s annual audits by Deloitte and defended the platform’s transparency.
Justin Sun criticized cbBTC for lacking Proof-of-Reserve and potential risk of government intervention without user notice.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has fired back at Tron founder Justin Sun’s recent criticisms of the exchange’s wrapped Bitcoin product, cbBTC. Earlier, Sun took to social media platform X to express concerns about the new product, which was launched on the Base network just two days ago.

Coinbase CEO Slashes All Allegations

In a pointed response, Armstrong dismissed Sun’s concerns as largely unfounded. He clarified that all transactions related to ETFs, including mints and burns, are settled on-chain. “Not sure what this is all about TBH. All ETF mints and burns we process are ultimately settled onchain,” Armstrong said. He added that institutional clients have access to trade financing and over-the-counter (OTC) options before their trades are finalized onchain.

The Coinbase CEO also emphasized that the wrapped Bitcoin, cbBTC, operates as a centralized custodian product, which has always been made clear. “As for cbBTC, yes, you’re trusting a centralized custodian to store the underlying BTC – we’ve never claimed otherwise,” he noted.

In his posts, Tron’s Sun raised a series of concerns about Coinbase’s new product. Moreover, Sun specifically highlighted the lack of Proof-of-Reserve (PoR) and audits for cbBTC, describing it as a “trust me” system. In addition, he warned that users’ balances could be frozen without notice.

According to Sun, Coinbase’s wrapped Bitcoin poses a significant risk of government intervention. “Any U.S. government subpoena could seize all your BTC. There’s no better representation of central bank Bitcoin than this. It’s a dark day for BTC,” Sun cautioned.

Sun’s concerns quickly resonated with some of his followers on X, many of whom expressed agreement with his views. However, the Coinbase CEO has responded that their practices are in line with industry standards. Armstrong reassured users that the company is regularly audited by Deloitte and, as a public company, must maintain transparency.

“If you want audits, Deloitte audits us annually, we’re a public company,” Armstrong stated. He further stressed that institutional client funds are secure in Coinbase’s Prime vaults.

The Need For Proof-of-Reserve

In light of the ongoing debate, Proof-of-Reserve has become a critical point of discussion. Following the high-profile collapses of Terra/LUNA and FTX in 2022, PoR reports are now seen as vital tools for ensuring a crypto exchange’s transparency and financial health.

Several major crypto exchanges, such as Binance, regularly release PoR reports to provide users with assurance about their assets. Binance, for instance, recently released its 22nd PoR report. This report revealed that the exchange holds a BTC ratio of 106.84% compared to user balances.

Hence, he need for PoR reporting is especially relevant as users demand more transparency from centralized exchanges (CEXs). However, despite Sun’s criticisms, Armstrong’s response underlines Coinbase’s ongoing commitment to following best practices for its institutional clients and products like cbBTC.

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Kelvin Munene Murithi

Kelvin Munene is a crypto and finance journalist with over 5 years of experience, offering in-depth market analysis and expert commentary . With a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Actuarial Science from Mount Kenya University, Kelvin is known for his meticulous research and strong writing skills, particularly in cryptocurrency, blockchain, and financial markets. His work has been featured across top industry publications such as Coingape, Cryptobasic, MetaNews, Cryptotimes, Coinedition, TheCoinrepublic, Cryptotale, and Analytics Insight among others, where he consistently provides timely updates and insightful content. Kelvin’s focus lies in uncovering emerging trends in the crypto space, delivering factual and data-driven analyses that help readers make informed decisions. His expertise extends across market cycles, technological innovations, and regulatory shifts that shape the crypto landscape. Beyond his professional achievements, Kelvin has a passion for chess, traveling, and exploring new adventures.

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