In the midst of the ongoing crypto market downturn, Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, is diversifying its revenue streams. Notably, one of the key drivers of this expansion is Coinbase’s Ethereum staking service.

Beyond Fees And Rising Demand And Regulations

Traditionally reliant on trading fees for income, Coinbase has sought to broaden its financial base. This push has been particularly evident in its Ethereum staking service. This innovative offering allows customers to stake their Ethereum (ETH) holdings, converting them into a specialized token known as cbETH.

Despite regulatory scrutiny from the SEC, the supply of cbETH has seen significant growth, reaching 1.3 million tokens. This surge is a direct result of the increasing demand for staking in the wake of the Ethereum Merge, which has brought greater attention to Ethereum’s proof-of-stake transition.

Stakings Impact and On-Chain Future

The report by CoinMetrics reveals that the 25% commission that Coinbase charges for cbETH staking played a substantial role in the company’s Q2 2022 revenue, contributing a noteworthy 4% to the total. Although trading volumes remain Coinbase’s primary revenue driver, the growing importance of staking and related services must be addressed.

Coinbase’s adoption of cbETH and the introduction of the Base layer-2 network signify a commitment that goes beyond its role as a standard exchange. This signals Coinbase’s ambition to shape the broader blockchain and cryptocurrency landscape, positioning itself as a visionary player, not just a trading platform.

Emergence of Base and L2 Network Costs

Coinbase has recently made a significant move by launching its very own layer-2 (L2) network named Base. The primary goal of Base is to establish an ecosystem that is both cost-effective and facilitative for Ethereum developers. Additionally, Base aims to achieve seamless integration with the Coinbase exchange, which holds the potential to bring about transformative changes in the way Ethereum-based projects are developed and interact within the Coinbase ecosystem.

However, managing a layer-2 network presents its challenges, including expenses associated with posting transaction data to the Ethereum network, often resulting in substantial gas fees. As an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) L2 solution, Base must periodically transmit batches of transactions to the Ethereum mainnet as part of its operations. Some days have seen these L1 data batch gas fees accounting for over 1% of the total fees incurred on the Ethereum network.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Coinbase is strategically diversifying its revenue streams by emphasizing its Ethereum staking service and the introduction of the Base layer-2 network. These initiatives reflect the exchange’s commitment to exploring an on-chain future beyond its traditional role as a cryptocurrency exchange. While challenges exist, Coinbase’s innovative approach is poised to shape the evolving landscape of the crypto industry.