Coinbase Institute Launches to Drive Crypto Research, Awareness, and Future of Finance

The research and educational initiative intends to function as an interdisciplinary think tank to advance and explain crypto, Web3, deFi and related areas of interest.

On Wednesday, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) debuted a new multi-faceted educational and research-focused initiative called the Coinbase Institute. The purpose of the Institute as articulated in the Coinbase announcement is to create a private-public crypto and fintech think tank comprising the best and brightest from industry, higher education, and government agencies.

According to its statement, the mission of the Coinbase Institute will be built on the following "core pillars:"

1. Conducting and publishing breakthrough research.
2. Advancing and showcasing the best in financial technology (fintech) thought leadership.
3. Accelerating innovation across Web3, decentralized finance (deFi), crypto, and fintech.
4. Generating and curating an array of content and materials to promote public awareness and understanding of the entire sector.

Coinbase turns 10 years old this week

In a separate email, Coinbase chief marketing officer Kate Rouch stated that the recent downturn within the cryptocurrency market is familiar territory for the company and reinforces its commitment for the future, "Coinbase was founded 10 years ago this week into a 'crypto winter.' After founding, we quickly entered three wrenching downturn years. Being in crypto during this time was incredibly challenging and lonely. But Coinbase and the crypto economy more broadly emerged stronger for it. A lot of new and exciting projects, entrepreneurs, and communities formed during that time" said Rouch.

The Coinbase Institute is one of those exciting projects, and it has already issued its first monthly overview of the digital asset market as well as launched an initial report titled "Crypto and the Climate." The Institute's advisory committee includes business and fintech thought leaders from Harvard Business School, MIT Cryptoeconomics Lab, and the Duke University Fuqua School of Business, among others.

What's next for Coinbase?

Coinbase reiterated in its Institute announcement that both Coinbase and cryptocurrencies are here to stay, despite the current bear market cycle. Now more than ever, the company says it's committed to providing comprehensive analysis and information relating to crypto's adoption, diversity, utility, as well as its interconnectivity within the broader economy.

According to Yahoo! Finance at press time, COIN is trading at $62.82 per share, which is an 83% discount from its all-time high in April 2021. This is not financial advice, and investors should always do their own research, only investing funds they can afford to lose. But given Coinbase's leadership within the crypto space, its scale, ease of use, market share, position as a de facto index fund for crypto, and diversification plans such as the launch of its recent NFT platform, Coinbase could be worth a look at such a deep discount.