The evolution of decentralized finance (DeFi) has reached a pivotal juncture. The tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) is no longer a theoretical concept; it represents a burgeoning market opportunity poised to reshape the financial landscape. Institutional investors, once cautious about blockchain-based assets, are now actively seeking exposure to RWAs. As we revisit Coinbase Ventures’ 2022 investment in IXS, it stands as a strong validation of this shift, demonstrating early confidence in IXS’s ability to bring liquidity, compliance, and institutional-grade accessibility to tokenized assets.
Few names in the digital asset ecosystem carry the institutional gravitas of Coinbase. Founded in 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam, Coinbase was one of the first platforms to simplify and secure cryptocurrency transactions. Initially supporting only Bitcoin, the exchange has grown to facilitate trading for 248 cryptocurrencies and 3 fiat currencies as of 2025.
Coinbase was one of the first cryptocurrency exchanges to go public, listing on NASDAQ under the ticker COIN in 2021, marking a major milestone for the industry. Despite facing regulatory scrutiny and competition from other exchanges, Coinbase returned to profitability in 2023, fueled by a surge in Bitcoin’s value and increasing institutional adoption.
Coinbase’s latest earnings report underscores its dominant role in institutional crypto adoption:
✅ $2.27 billion in total revenue, a 138% year-over-year increase
✅ $1.6 billion in transaction revenue, up from $529 million in the previous year’s quarter
✅ $641 million in subscription and services revenue, reflecting 71% year-over-year growth
With institutional traders continuing to dominate Coinbase’s platform, these results highlight:
🔹 Growing institutional demand for regulated, liquid digital asset markets
🔹 Coinbase’s role as a leading gateway for financial institutions entering crypto
🔹 The rising relevance of tokenized assets in traditional financial markets
As institutional investment accelerates, Coinbase remains a key driver of financial infrastructure and innovation in the digital asset space.
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Coinbase Ventures' portfolio reflects a deliberate emphasis on institutional DeFi, on-chain finance, and asset tokenization. The introduction of Base, Coinbase's Layer 2 blockchain, underscores its commitment to providing scalable, compliant, and institutional-friendly infrastructure to the DeFi ecosystem. The investment in IXS aligns seamlessly with this strategy, reinforcing the escalating institutional demand for tokenized RWAs that adhere to stringent compliance standards.
In 2024, Coinbase launched Base, a Layer 2 blockchain designed to enhance scalability and reduce transaction costs. By October 2024, Base had added 13.7 million new users in a single month, making it the fastest-growing blockchain platform at the time (Beincrypto report). Base serves as a robust foundation for DeFi applications, providing an efficient and cost-effective infrastructure for institutional on-chain finance, including seamless RWA integration.
Coinbase Ventures' investment serves as a strong endorsement of IXS's vision and institutional-grade liquidity solutions. This backing enhances IXS's credibility, attracting high-net-worth investors, asset managers, and financial institutions seeking secure and regulated exposure to RWAs.
Beyond capital infusion, Coinbase's expertise as a liquidity provider can significantly bolster IXS's automated market maker (AMM) pools. This collaboration enhances trading efficiency and reduces spreads for tokenized asset transactions.
IXS's integration with Coinbase's Base blockchain facilitates seamless trading, and settlement of RWAs on an institutional-grade network. As Base continues to expand, IXS stands to benefit from Coinbase's extensive network and growing institutional adoption.
Coinbase Ventures, as the investment arm of Coinbase, benefits from Coinbase’s strong regulatory alignment with the SEC, MAS, and MiCA. As a result, IXS, backed by an investor from a fully regulated entity, gains a significant advantage in navigating global financial regulatory frameworks, ensuring institutions can engage with tokenized RWAs in a compliant and secure environment.
Coinbase Ventures' global presence extends to key financial hubs worldwide, enhancing IXS's visibility among institutional investors. This fosters strategic partnerships with banks, hedge funds, and asset managers aiming to tokenize and trade RWAs efficiently.
The partnership between Coinbase Ventures and IXS signifies a monumental advancement in institutional-grade RWA tokenization. It signals to the market that tokenized assets are transitioning from niche experiments to the forefront of financial innovation. With regulatory clarity, deep liquidity, and institutional-grade security, IXS is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional finance and DeFi, ushering in a new era of liquidity and investment opportunities.
To further solidify its role as a premier RWA liquidity provider, IXS is actively working with institutional partners to develop tailored liquidity solutions, regulatory-compliant trading frameworks, and deeper integrations with Base. Institutional investors looking for early exposure to the growing RWA sector can gain access to IXS’s exclusive reports and strategy sessions.
Discover the future of tokenized assets with IXS. Visit our platform and join the institutional RWA revolution today.