Instead of using a traditional IPO, Coinbase went public through a public listing. That means it avoided the typical agreements with big banks that would buy thousands of shares and promote them. A direct listing allows insiders and early investors to convert their stakes in the company into publicly traded stock.

Is Coinbase going public?

Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., becomes a public company today with the ticker COIN. The company has eschewed a traditional initial public offering (IPO).

When did Coinbase go public?

Coinbase employees spray champagne during the company's initial public offering (IPO) outside the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Coinbase shares whipsawed Thursday, a day after the cryptocurrency exchange went public in a blockbuster direct listing.