Coinbase, the leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, recently disclosed its Q1 2024 earnings report, revealing a total revenue of $1.6 billion, indicating a significant 72% growth from the previous quarter. The surge in performance is primarily attributed to the escalating prices of crypto assets and the introduction of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S., which subsequently amplified market inflows. This substantial increase in revenue also translated into an impressive net income of $1.18 billion, equivalent to $4.40 per share, ultimately resulting in an adjusted EBITDA of $1 billion for Q1. This figure significantly surpasses the previous year’s adjusted EBITDA of $977.5 million in 2023.
The earnings report further uncovers that Coinbase’s net income was in part boosted by $737 million in pre-tax unrealized gains on crypto assets. The company closed the quarter with a capital amounting to $7.1 billion, including $1.1 billion in net cash raised through the issuance of 2030 convertible notes. Noteworthy is the fact that consumer transaction revenue doubled to $935.2 million, accompanied by a 93% spike in transaction volume to $56 billion. Institutional interest also saw a significant uptick, with transaction revenue reaching $85 million, marking a substantial 133% increase quarter on quarter. Additionally, Coinbase Prime trading volume surged by 105% to $256 billion, surpassing the U.S. spot market. It is important to highlight that Bitcoin played a pivotal role, accounting for one-third of both consumer and institutional transactions.
Coinbase’s custodial services revenue experienced a remarkable 64% growth, amounting to $32 million during the quarter. This surge was primarily fueled by the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs earlier in the year, given that Coinbase is the custodian of eight out of the eleven newly introduced products. The assets under custody escalated to $171 billion as the quarter concluded. Moreover, the introduction of Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 chain, which was launched in August, generated $56.1 million in revenue. Base exhibited double the transaction volume of Ethereum and an impressive 800% increase in developer activity. Furthermore, during the quarter, Coinbase secured a minority stake in Circle, the issuer of USDC stablecoin, resulting in a 30% surge in market capitalization. This move consequently bolstered subscriptions and services revenue by a third, including a 15% rise in stablecoin revenue.
Despite diversification efforts with Base and USDC, the recent financial upsurge was predominantly influenced by favorable market conditions. The skyrocketing of Bitcoin’s price by 57% to an all-time high of $73,000, largely fueled by over $50 billion inflows into 10 spot Bitcoin ETFs sanctioned in January, played a vital role in this success. Nevertheless, it is crucial to note that the company’s transaction expenses witnessed a 73% increase to $217 million. This surge in expenses is anticipated to persist in Q2, with projected costs soaring as high as $890 million due to amplified trading volume. Hence, Coinbase remains cautiously optimistic about its future financial performance amidst the ever-evolving crypto landscape.
