Coinbase / Bison Trails 2021
Coinbase acquired Bison Trails on January 13, 2021.
- Target
- Bison Trails
- Acquirer
- Coinbase
- Deal type
- Undisclosed
- Announced
- January 13, 2021
- Sub-sector
- Crypto / Digital Assets
Transaction overview
- Coinbase announced the acquisition of Bison Trails on January 13, 2021; the deal closed approximately February 1, 2021.
- Financial terms were not disclosed by either party.
- Bison Trails operated blockchain infrastructure, allowing developers and institutions to run nodes across more than 30 protocols.
- The company was founded in 2018 and was backed by investors including Andreessen Horowitz.
- Bison Trails raised approximately $25.5 million in total venture funding before the acquisition.
- Coinbase is a publicly traded U.S. crypto exchange that listed on Nasdaq in April 2021 via direct listing.
- Coinbase stated the acquisition would support its cloud infrastructure ambitions, later branded as Coinbase Cloud.
Why it matters
- The deal signaled Coinbase's intent to move beyond retail brokerage into infrastructure services for developers and institutions.
- Bison Trails became the foundation of Coinbase Cloud, a node and staking infrastructure product launched after the close.
Strategic rationale
Coinbase adds blockchain infrastructure and staking platform powering nodes across 25+ networks to build Coinbase Cloud institutional products.
Deal terms & multiples
About Bison Trails
Bison Trails was a New York-based blockchain infrastructure company founded in 2018. The platform let developers and institutions participate in blockchain networks by running nodes without managing the underlying hardware or software. At the time of acquisition, Bison Trails supported more than 30 protocols, including Ethereum, Flow, and Polkadot. The company had raised roughly $25.5 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz before being acquired.
- Founded
- 2018
- HQ
- United States
- Prior funding
- ~$25.5 million total venture funding
- Key metric
- Supported node participation across 30+ blockchain protocols at time of acquisition
About Coinbase NASDAQ: COIN
Coinbase is a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco. The company operates a retail trading platform and a separate institutional product, Coinbase Prime, and listed on Nasdaq in April 2021 under the ticker COIN via direct listing. Coinbase reported $7.4 billion in net revenue for 2021, driven primarily by transaction fees. The company has pursued acquisitions and product expansions to diversify revenue beyond spot trading.
- Founded
- 2012
- Ticker
- NASDAQ: COIN
Frequently asked questions
How much did Coinbase pay for Bison Trails?
The purchase price was not disclosed. Neither Coinbase nor Bison Trails published financial terms.
What does Bison Trails do?
Bison Trails built infrastructure that allowed developers and institutions to run nodes on more than 30 blockchain protocols without managing hardware directly.
Why did Coinbase acquire Bison Trails?
Coinbase said the acquisition would support its infrastructure ambitions for developers and institutions, which it later organized under the Coinbase Cloud brand.
When did the Coinbase and Bison Trails deal close?
The deal closed around February 1, 2021, roughly three weeks after the January 13 announcement.
Who invested in Bison Trails before the acquisition?
Bison Trails raised approximately $25.5 million in venture funding, with Andreessen Horowitz among its backers.
What happened to Bison Trails after the acquisition?
Bison Trails' technology and team were folded into Coinbase Cloud, a developer infrastructure product Coinbase launched following the close.
Sources
- coinbase.com /blog/coinbase-acquires-bison-trails