Coinbase Stock Tanks 12% Amid $2B Convertible Note Gamble—Wall Street Yawns

Coinbase just pulled a classic 'strength through debt' play—and investors are voting with their sell orders.

The crypto exchange's shares cratered 12% in pre-market trading after announcing a $2 billion convertible note offering. Because nothing screams confidence like diluting shareholders while BTC flirts with $50K.

The Fine Print: These notes convert to equity if Coinbase stock rallies—a big 'if' after Q2's institutional exodus. Smart money's betting the house on crypto's comeback...or just desperate for cheap capital.

Street Reaction: Analysts called it 'opportunistic' (translation: we're baffled). The notes mature in 2030—roughly three lifetimes in crypto years.

Bonus cynicism: Nothing bonds TradFi and crypto like leveraging up during a bear market. At least the bankers get their fees.

Offering details

Coinbase stated that the initial purchasers of the notes will have a 13-day option to buy up to an additional $150 million of the 2029 and 2032 notes.

These notes are unsecured senior obligations that will accrue interest paid semi-annually. The 2029 notes will mature on Oct. 1, 2029, and the 2032 notes on Oct. 1, 2032, unless they are repurchased, converted, or redeemed before these dates.

The notes will be convertible into a mix of cash and Coinbase’s Class A common stock, at the company’s discretion. The specific terms, including the interest and initial conversion rates, will be determined when the offering is priced.

Coinbase has also structured capped call transactions for both series of notes, which are designed to minimize any dilution to its Class A shares when the notes are converted. These transactions aim to offset any additional cash payments the company may need to make beyond the converted note’s principal amount, subject to certain limits.

A portion of the net proceeds from the offering will be used to fund the capped call transactions. If the purchasers exercise their options to buy additional notes, Coinbase plans to use some of the additional proceeds to enter into further capped call agreements.

The remainder of the funds raised will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, capital expenditures, and investments in other companies or technologies.

Additionally, Coinbase may use part of the proceeds to repurchase its Class A common stock shares or repay its outstanding notes as market conditions allow.

Coinbase stock falls

According to Yahoo Finance data, Coinbase’s stock price fell by more than 2% during pre-market trading in response to the announcement. This decline came as part of the mixed reaction to the exchange’s recent quarterly earnings report, which failed to meet analyst expectations.

Compass Point analysts downgraded Coinbase’s stock from “Neutral” to “Sell,” citing growing competition from stablecoins and investor fatigue as key challenges for the company.

Additionally, they lowered their price target for Coinbase from $330 to $248 following a weaker-than-expected revenue performance in Q2.

On the flip side, Benchmark analysts expressed Optimism about Coinbase’s prospects. They reiterated their “Buy” rating and raised their target price to $421, noting the company’s expanding services and influence in the institutional crypto sector.