Emilie Choi, President and Chief Operating Officer at Coinbase, has achieved a significant regulatory milestone with conditional approval to charter Coinbase National Trust Company, announced on April 2, 2026. This development enhances the firm's institutional custody operations and positions it as a leading player in the sector.
Choi, who joined Coinbase in March 2018 during a bear market, transitioned into her current roles after a successful career in corporate finance, including a decade at LinkedIn where she led over 40 acquisitions. Her educational background includes an economics degree from Johns Hopkins and an MBA from the Wharton School.
As President and COO, Choi's influence has been key in shaping Coinbase's operational strategies. She took on the President title in November 2020, while maintaining her COO responsibilities. This dual-role leadership enabled her to guide Coinbase's public listing on Nasdaq in April 2021 and expand Coinbase Ventures, which now supports over 150 blockchain startups.
Choi's expertise in mergers and acquisitions has directly contributed to numerous successful deals for Coinbase, including the acquisition of Deribit in 2025. By year-end 2025, Coinbase reported $376 billion in assets under management on its platform, as noted by Forbes.
Choi has been a vocal advocate for regulatory clarity in the cryptocurrency space. During the Mainnet conference in September 2021, she emphasized the importance of transparency, especially after Coinbase's disagreement with the SEC regarding its Lend product. Her ongoing focus has shifted towards stablecoins, which she identifies as essential infrastructure for Coinbase's future, discussing their role in payments and the Base network during recent earnings calls.
Choi's appointment to oversee Coinbase National Trust Company aligns with her previous efforts in regulatory engagement, framing it as a competitive advantage in the evolving digital asset landscape. As she continues to lead Coinbase's operations, her strategies are shaping the future of institutional cryptocurrency custody.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
