Learn more about the 2025 Coin Center Annual Dinner

“Blockchain technology” is a buzzword with little meaning. Here’s what matters.

A thorough examination of the different types of blockchains, their capabilities, and why open blockchains in particular must be allowed room to thrive. 

You may have heard that “blockchain technology” is the solution to any number of social, economic, organizational or cybersecurity problems. It is not. A blockchain is merely a data structure...

This academic study of digital currency businesses needs your help.

The University of Cambridge Judge Business School’s Centre for Alternative Finance is launching the first Global Blockchain Benchmarking Study. We’ve partnered with the centre to help create what will be...

Is your cryptotoken a security? This new tool will help you find out.

We partnered with experts from across the open blockchain industry to demystify the specter of securities regulation for digital currency innovators.

Today we’re happy to announce the release of a new report and handy decision matrix to help crypto-developers understand the risks of becoming subject to securities regulation. Coinbase published these...

What is Zcash?

This recently launched cryptocurrency has received attention for its enhanced privacy features. Zooko Wilcox, the project's lead developer, explains how these features work and what they mean for policymakers.  

Zcash is a cryptocurrency network that launched in October of 2016. Like other cryptocurrency networks (e.g. Bitcoin or Ethereum), Zcash allows anyone with a computer and an Internet connection to...

Coin Center filed comments with the Federal Elections Commission on bitcoin political contributions.

We did so on Friday in response to a proposed rulemaking considering how to classify bitcoin and similar cryptocurrency contributions, and whether they should be subject to the same $100...

The OCC has decided to pursue the federal fintech charter for which we have been advocating.

We've been calling for a federal alternative to state money transmission licensing for digital currency companies since our inception, and today we are thrilled by Comptroller Curry's remarks: that the OCC will...

The IRS’s indiscriminate request for Coinbase data sets a dangerous precedent.

In a recent editorial for American Banker, Coin Center executive Jerry Brito lays out why this apparent fishing expedition by the agency is based on flimsy evidence and a simplistic...

The IRS is seeking the identities and transaction histories of all Coinbase customers in the U.S.

It has petitioned a court to let it serve what is known as a “John Doe Summons,” which requires a business to turn over information about any of its customers...

This OCC rulemaking could a make a big difference for digital currency exchanges.

Almost two months ago the OCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding receiverships for uninsured national banks. That doesn't sound like something related to cryptocurrency but, as the comment we...

The Treasury Department’s Inspector General just completed a review of the IRS’s virtual currency practices.

Bottom line, the report found that there has been little coordination within the IRS about ensuring virtual currency related tax compliance. The IG recommended that the IRS: 1) develop a...