Coinbase Inc. (COIN) is warning customers that a U.S. regulator is demanding information about interactions with prediction market firm Polymarket, according to a person familiar with the situation, and Coinbase has sent messages to customers saying the exchange may have to share that data.

Copies of the emails shared with some customers have circulated on social-media sites, and those warnings about the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) requests are accurate, the person said. The U.S. derivatives regulator has conducted a drawn-out legal battle with prediction markets firms, and this latest move comes just days before the leadership of the agency will flip from Democratic to Republican when President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

“When we receive requests for information from a government, each request is carefully reviewed by a team of trained experts using established procedures to determine its legal sufficiency,” a Coinbase spokesperson said in an emailed statement, though the company declined to confirm receipt of the specific subpoena. “Where necessary, we will seek to narrow requests that are overly broad or vague in order to provide a more appropriately tailored response, and in some cases we object to producing any information at all.”

The CFTC lost an initial case against prediction market firm Kalshi when a U.S. federal judge ruled late last year that the agency couldn’t bar the company from listing election contracts. However, the regulator quickly filed an appeal with a higher court, and Polymarket argued in that new legal clash that only Congress can halt election betting.

Read More: U.S. Election Betting: Federal Court ‘Erred’ in Letting Kalshi Launch Prediction Markets, CFTC Says

Neither the CFTC nor Polymarket immediately responded to a request for comment on the effort to gather customer information.

On January 20, Trump will reclaim the White House, and he’ll be able to appoint a new chairman to replace Rostin Behnam, who has led the CFTC during its lengthy legal dispute with the prediction businesses. The sitting Republican commissioners, Caroline Pham and Summer Mersinger have drawn attention as potential candidates for the open chairmanship, as has former Commissioner Brian Quintenz. 

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a fresh subpoena to crypto exchange Coinbase just days ahead of President Joe Biden leaving office. This comes as part of the US CFTC’s ongoing investigation into betting markets Polymarket thereby requiring Coinbase to provide specific information regarding customers involved in the case.

US CFTC Seeks Coinbase Customers

Under the outgoing Biden administration, the CFTC has cracked a whip issuing a subpoena to crypto exchange Coinbase in the Polymarket lawsuit.

After receiving an email for the same from the exchange, Eric, co-author of Ethereum’s EIP-1559, shared this information in the public domain. “The dems crypto pivot truly was something else!” he wrote.

The exchange informed its customers through email that it may be required to share account-related information with the US CFTC. However, the company noted that no action is required from customers at this time.

Biden’s CFTC is subpoenaing customer info from @coinbase in their case against @Polymarket pic.twitter.com/YlCdUPwHs7

— eric.eth (@econoar) January 8, 2025

Crypto Exchange Need to Comply Soon

The action comes with a deadline, unless Coinbase receives a motion to dismiss or other legal documentation by the close of business on January 15, 2025, the company will be required to comply.

The announcement comes just ahead of the CFTC chair Rostin Behnam stepping down before President-elect Donald Trump takes oath on January 20. The Trump transition team has reviewed at least six potential candidates to lead the US CFTC, aligning with the president-elect’s pledge to establish a more crypto-friendly regulatory framework.

Polymarket And Its Regulatory Scrutiny

Polymarket, a decentralized prediction market platform, gained huge popularity during the US Presidential Elections in 2024 drawing attention from regulators like the US CFTC. The regulator demanded limiting the operation of the prediction market while labeling them as gambling platforms.

Unlike the promises by Vice President Kamala Harris of a crypto pivot, the Democrats have continued with the crypto crackdown even in their last days in office. Coinbase and the CFTC have yet to comment publicly on the matter, but the subpoena marks another pivotal moment in the intersection of U.S. regulatory oversight and the cryptocurrency industry.

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Bhushan Akolkar

Bhushan is a FinTech enthusiast with a keen understanding of financial markets. His interest in economics and finance has led him to focus on emerging Blockchain technology and cryptocurrency markets. He is committed to continuous learning and stays motivated by sharing the knowledge he acquires. In his free time, Bhushan enjoys reading thriller fiction novels and occasionally explores his culinary skills.

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