Illinois Slaps Coinbase with Biometric Data Lawsuit—KYC Checks Under Fire

Coinbase just got served—Illinois is dragging the exchange to court over alleged biometric data violations tied to its KYC verification process. Because nothing says ’trust us with your face scan’ like a class-action lawsuit.

The suit claims Coinbase failed to comply with Illinois’ strict Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which requires explicit consent before collecting fingerprints or facial recognition data. Who knew ’trustless’ crypto would need so much paperwork?

This isn’t just regulatory theater—BIPA carries fines up to $5,000 per violation. With millions of users, the math could make even a Bitcoin maximalist sweat. But hey, at least the lawyers will get paid in crypto.

Coinbase’s response? Probably another blog post about ’working with regulators’ while quietly setting aside nine figures for settlements. Because in crypto, compliance is just another speculative asset.