Coinbase takes the first-ever loan from Goldman Sachs with Bitcoin as collateral

Major crypto exchange Coinbase has taken out a loan from Goldman Sachs using its Bitcoin assets as collateral to strengthen ties between crypto and traditional banking. The amount of the historic transaction has not been disclosed, but the collateral for it was based on a portion of Coinbase’s Bitcoin Holdings. As of 2021, Coinbase owns cryptos worth $566 million, including more than $183 million worth of Bitcoin.

“Coinbase’s work with Goldman is a first step in the recognition of crypto as collateral which deepens the bridge between the fiat and crypto economies,” Brett Tejpaul, head of Coinbase Institutional told Bloomberg. Goldman Sachs’ loan terms include 24-hour risk management.

Offering loans on cryptos as collateral is a common practice in the crypto industry. According to Chainalsyis, the amount of crypto collateral locked in the decentralized finance (DeFi) economy was $275 million in 2019. It has grown to $14 billion in 2021.

Nevertheless, it is the first case of giving loans on crypto by an established bank. Goldman Sachs’ loan to Coinbase with Bitcoin as collateral is a huge boost for the crypto industry, which has largely been ignored by the traditional banking and finance sector due to the high volatility in the prices of cryptos.

Last November, the value of Bitcoin soared to $69,000 and within months again dropped to $38,964. The value of some of these new cryptos, such as dogecoin, soared by 8,300% in 2021, exceeding even that of Bitcoin.

Many in the banking sector see cryptos as a threat to traditional banking. It’s one of the reasons why central banks in various countries are developing their digital currencies called CBDCs.

However, with the growing investor interest and value of cryptos, many banks have started exploring ways to dabble in them.

“Several global banks are offering digital asset custody services. Some international banks have started to look at trading crypto-asset futures and non-deliverable forwards, and offering wealth management clients crypto-asset investments,” Jon Cunliffe, Deputy Governor of the Bank of England for Financial Stability said in a blog post.

Crypto prime brokerage Genesis is in talks with crypto-friendly banks such as Silvergate Bank and Signature Bank to structure similar loans backed by crypto assets, according to the Bloomberg report.

Coinbase held more than $566 million of cryptocurrencies, including over $183 million worth of Bitcoin, its 2021 annual report stated. Meanwhile, the firm reported it had cash equivalents of $7.1 billion, excluding restricted cash and customer custodial funds.

Goldman Sachs’ rush into crypto has become aggressive in recent months. Just a week ago, Goldman Sachs announced offering its first-ever lending facility backed by Bitcoin. It has allowed crypto owners to receive fiat by using their crypto assets as collateral, which is the first case for Wall Street banks. The firm also announced plans to add to that offering with over-the-counter Ethereum options last month.