Coinbase was founded in 2012 and is a leading cryptocurrency trading platform in the United States. The company aims to become a secure and regulatory entry point for retail investors and institutions into the cryptocurrency economy. Users can directly establish accounts with the company instead of using intermediaries, and many choose to allow Coinbase to serve as the custodian of their cryptocurrency, giving the company extensive influence beyond traditional financial exchanges. Although the company still primarily generates revenue by charging transaction fees to retail customers, Coinbase has expanded into neighboring business areas such as prime brokerage and data analytics through internal investments and acquisitions.