Coinbase is Back in Hawaii

Regulatory clarity in the state has made life easier for crypto exchanges setting up shop.

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Residents of Hawaii are gaining renewed access to Coinbase Coinbase following state-level regulatory changes!

What’s the Scoop?

  • Onerous Regulation: Coinbase exited Hawaiian markets in 2017 alongside many other CEXs after the state’s Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) imposed requirements on crypto exchanges to obtain a Hawaiian-issued money transmitter license and maintain 1:1 fiat reserves against all customer crypto assets held on the platform.
  • Licensure Lifting: In 2020, Hawaii initiated a pilot program allowing some exchanges to operate under an exemption from the DFI’s requirements. This June, the department overseeing the pilot concluded that crypto exchanges do not need to register with the DFI as money transmitters to conduct their business in Hawaii.

Bankless Take:

The cessation of Hawaii’s unworkable licensing regime allows its citizens to access leading crypto exchanges. Considering that America is the land of the free, anyone who wishes to purchase crypto assets should be afforded the equal opportunity to do so. 

 


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Jack Inabinet

Written by Jack Inabinet

419 Articles View all      

Jack Inabinet is a Senior Analyst with a passion for exploring the bleeding edge of crypto and finance. Prior to joining Bankless, Jack worked as an analyst at HAL Real Estate where he conducted market research and financial analysis for commercial apartment development and acquisition activities in the Seattle region. He graduated from the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business.

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