Coinbase Makes Power Move: Acquires Liquifi in Strategic 2025 Expansion

Coinbase just fired its fourth major deal of 2025—snapping up Liquifi in a play that screams 'bullish dominance.' The exchange isn't just weathering the crypto winter; it's building igloos with competitors' market share.

Why this matters: Liquifi's token vesting tech gives Coinbase institutional-grade ammunition. Suddenly, that 'stodgy regulator-approved' reputation starts looking like a Trojan horse for Web3 infrastructure.

The cynical take? Wall Street bankers are too busy shorting ETH to notice the rails being laid beneath them. Again.

Coinbase has acquired token management platform Liquifi, marking its fourth acquisition of 2025, as reported by Fortune. This move follows an already aggressive acquisition streak by the U.S.’s largest crypto exchange, which includes crypto ad firm Spindl, privacy protocol Iron Fish, and a record-breaking $2.9 billion deal for Deribit in May. 

Terms of the Liquifi deal were not disclosed. Meanwhile, following the news, COIN stock has risen nearly 2% in pre-market trading today, bouncing back after a 4.33% drop yesterday.

JUST IN: Coinbase acquires Liquifi amid a surge in cryptocurrency mergers and acquisitions. pic.twitter.com/SOVl6rcR8X

Strengthening the foundation

Liquifi helps crypto companies manage token ownership, track vesting schedules, and handle tax obligations. Big players like Uniswap Foundation, OP Labs, and Zora already rely on its tools. With this acquisition, Coinbase is adding key infrastructure that supports the full life cycle of a cryptocurrency project.

According to Aklil Ibssa, head of corporate development at Coinbase, the goal is to make token creation and management simple enough for mass adoption. Echoing a similar sentiment, Max Branzburg, Head of Consumer Products at Coinbase, shared his excitement about partnering with Liquifi to help more businesses MOVE on-chain. He highlighted the need for simpler tools to manage coin tables, legal and tax hurdles, vesting, and asset distribution as the on-chain ecosystem grows.

End-to-end platform in progress

This acquisition moves Coinbase closer to becoming a complete crypto platform. While exchanges like Binance and OKX offer token launchpads, Coinbase has focused more on listings and trading. With Liquifi, Coinbase is stepping earlier into the token process, covering everything from creation to compliance.

Liquifi is not a launchpad but gives Coinbase the tools to support projects long before tokens hit the market. This positions the company to earn value throughout the token’s entire journey, not just after launch.

Backed despite legal noise

Liquifi is currently facing a lawsuit from a competitor over alleged document theft. Despite the ongoing legal case, Coinbase remains confident in its decision and has promised to support Liquifi through the process. The company says it conducted a thorough review before finalizing the deal.

Crypto M&A Heats Up

Coinbase is not the only one making moves. Earlier this year, it bought Deribit for 2.9 billion dollars, the largest crypto acquisition to date. Meanwhile, Stripe acquired stablecoin startup Bridge and wallet firm Privy, showing a growing appetite for consolidation across the industry.

With Liquifi now in its corner, Coinbase is building not just for today’s crypto needs but laying the groundwork for the future.