Compiled by: Felix, PANews
The US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase released its first-quarter (Q1) financial report on May 8th local time. Due to market trading cooling down compared to the post-US election surge in the previous quarter, revenue and net profit did not meet expectations.
As of March 31st, the adjusted net profit was $527 million. Earnings per share were $0.24, lower than the market's general expectation of $1.93. Total revenue was $2 billion, slightly below the expected $2.12 billion and lower than the $2.3 billion in Q4 2024. Q1 trading revenue decreased by 19% to $1.2 billion, with trading volume dropping by 10%.
Potentially affected by this news, Coinbase (COIN) stock fell 2.67% in after-hours trading, after rising 5% in the previous trading day. COIN has declined 16.83% since the beginning of the year.
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Revenue
In Q1, the average volatility of cryptocurrency assets increased, with BTC reaching a historical high in January. However, influenced by tariff policies and macroeconomic uncertainty, cryptocurrency prices fell in sync with the overall market. Compared to the end of the fourth quarter, the total cryptocurrency market value decreased by 19% to $2.7 trillion at the end of the first quarter.
In this context, Coinbase's revenue reached $2 billion, a quarter-on-quarter decline of 10%; net income plummeted by 94% to $66 million, primarily due to a $597 million pre-tax loss in crypto asset investments, mostly unrealized losses. Adjusted net profit was $527 million, with adjusted EBITDA at $930 million.
Trading Revenue
Coinbase's financial report shows that trading is its primary revenue source, accounting for over 60% of total revenue. Q1 trading revenue was $1.3 billion, a quarter-on-quarter decline of 19%. Coinbase's spot trading volume decreased by 10% to $393.1 billion, but outperformed the global spot market, which saw a 13% decline. In derivatives, Coinbase's trading volume reached $803.6 billion, with continuous market share growth.
In Q1, retail trading volume was $78.1 billion, a quarter-on-quarter decline of 17%. Retail trading revenue was $1.1 billion, a 19% quarter-on-quarter decrease, largely consistent with the trading volume decline. For institutional trading, the volume was $315 billion, a 9% quarter-on-quarter decline, with institutional trading revenue at $99 million, a 30% quarter-on-quarter decrease.
Besides the macro background, the second factor in revenue decline was the derivatives business. The report states that Coinbase is investing in trading rebates and incentives to build liquidity and attract customers. These rebates and rewards have been deducted from institutional trading revenue.
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