Crypto Exchange Coinbase Receives License to Operate in Bermuda

Coinbase (COIN) has obtained a license to offer its services in Bermuda as part of its international expansion efforts, the firm announced in a blog post on Wednesday.

The U.S. crypto exchange received a Class F license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), which allows the company to operate as a digital asset exchange in that territory.

The news comes two days after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong indicated the U.S.-based exchange would consider out of the U.S. if clear crypto regulation isn't enacted. In March the exchange was reported to have been in discussions with institutional clients about setting up a crypto-trading platform overseas.

For now, it is not clear what services Coinbase will offer in Bermuda.

“While we are excited to partner with the BMA, and to have successfully attained the Class F License in this high-bar regulatory jurisdiction, nothing to announce today regarding our future plans to offer services through this license,” a spokesperson told CoinDesk.

As part of what the exchange calls its “8-week international expansion drive,” Coinbase in its blog post took note of, among other items, doubling down on its investments in the Canadian market. The company recently hired Lucas Matheson as country director and signed a Pre-Registration Undertaking (PRU), which is considered a stepping stone on the way to becoming a registered exchange in Canada.