Coinbase has settled its Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC], with the regulator agreeing to pay $150,000 and strengthen its record-retention policies.
The settlement stems from Coinbase’s request for records related to the SEC’s approach to crypto regulation under former Chair Gary Gensler.
According to Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, the litigation revealed that the agency had lost text messages exchanged by senior officials during the height of its enforcement campaign against the crypto industry.
Despite the legal victory, Coinbase [COIN] stock fell 2.68% on Wednesday, trading at $171.25, as investors looked past the settlement and focused on the broader market backdrop.
Coinbase says SEC lost officials’ messages during crypto crackdown
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Grewal said Coinbase’s lawsuit uncovered the loss of nearly a year’s worth of communications involving senior SEC officials. He argued that the records disappeared during the period when the regulator pursued more than 100 crypto-related enforcement actions.
As part of the settlement, the SEC agreed to pay $150,000 and improve its record-retention practices.
Grewal linked the case to Coinbase’s broader push for transparency. He noted that the company had previously secured another FOIA settlement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation [FDIC].
That earlier litigation resulted in the release of documents relating to the agency’s interactions with banks serving crypto firms.
The SEC has not publicly characterized the settlement as an admission of wrongdoing.
Coinbase stock prediction – COIN holds July recovery despite pullback
Coinbase shares ended July 21 with a high of over 9% to trade at almost $176, and the broader technical structure remains constructive.
After rebounding sharply from June’s lows near $145, COIN has continued to post higher lows throughout July, suggesting buyers remain active on dips.
The stock attempted to break above $175 before pulling back to finish around $171. That leaves the $175-$180 range as the next major resistance zone. A decisive move above that level could strengthen bullish momentum and bring the psychological $200 mark back into focus.
Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index [RSI] stood at 55.15, indicating neutral-to-positive momentum without entering overbought territory.
On the downside, initial support sits around $160-$165. Holding that range would help preserve the current recovery trend, while a break below it could expose the June lows.
Final Summary
- Coinbase settled its FOIA lawsuit against the SEC, with the regulator agreeing to pay $150,000 and improve its record-retention policies.
- COIN stock fell 2.68% but continues to trade within a broader July recovery, with $175-$180 remaining the next key resistance zone.
