On Thursday, Coinbase unveiled cbBTC, a tokenized version of Bitcoin on its Base layer 2 and Ethereum. This launch follows the recent BitGo controversy about the custody arrangement for Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) now involving Justin Sun, sparking concerns within the crypto community.

In this episode, Will Robinson, Coinbase’s VP of engineering, discusses the strategic importance of cbBTC, how it differs from other wrapped Bitcoin products, and what this means for the future of Bitcoin within DeFi ecosystems.

Will Coinbase’s reputation as a "trusted custodian" be enough to make cbBTC the go-to choice for Bitcoin in DeFi, or will the industry remain skeptical?

01:54 Why Coinbase launched cbBTC and how it aims to bring Bitcoin into the world of DeFi
04:05 What happens behind the scenes when users mint cbBTC
05:21 What sets cbBTC apart from other wrapped Bitcoin options, according to Will
06:32 Whether Coinbase will expand cbBTC to other layer 2s and where users can already use it on major DeFi platforms
08:45 Will’s response to criticisms about the centralization of cbBTC
12:28 Why Coinbase's cbBTC launch was part of long-term plans, unrelated to the recent controversy around WBTC and Justin Sun
13:31 How Coinbase plans to make money from cbBTC, considering that WBTC has not been a big moneymaker for BitGo
15:38 Why Coinbase has the ability to freeze and blacklist cbBTC addresses
19:34 How Coinbase ensures that Bitcoin backing cbBTC remains the property of token holders and won’t be used as collateral or rehypothecated
20:58 Why Coinbase, a centralized entity, is launching cbBTC, a product for the decentralized, onchain world
23:57 Why Will doesn't want to predict how much demand there'll be for cbBTC

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Guest

Will Robinson, VP of Engineering at Coinbase

Links

cbBTC

Unchained: Coinbase’s Wrapped Bitcoin Product cbBTC Launches on Base and Ethereum

BitGo changing custody and its implications:

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Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab? - Ep. 703 37:33 Share

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Shownotes Transcript

Bitcoin Is Worth Over $1 Trillion. How Much Will Coinbase’s New cbBTC Grab? - Ep. 703