Consumer Protection Tuesday: How Coinbase Is Helping Law Enforcement Adapt to a New Era

It’s easy to think of robbery and theft as old-school crimes—snatching wallets, grabbing phones, and fleeing into the night. But street crime has evolved. Today, a stolen phone isn’t just a device—it’s a key to someone’s entire financial life.

At Coinbase, we’re seeing this shift firsthand. More and more, we’re working with law enforcement on cases where physical robbery turns into digital theft. With a single unlocked phone, criminals can drain bank accounts, access peer-to-peer payment apps, and in some cases, transfer crypto before a victim even knows what happened.

This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening now—and crypto is part of the story. But not in the way headlines often suggest.

Crypto Isn’t the Problem—It’s a Powerful Tool for Law Enforcement

It’s true that crypto can be accessed through mobile apps. But unlike cash—which remains the top method for global money laundering, accounting for up to $2 trillion annually—crypto leaves a trail. Every transaction is traceable. Every address connects to a network. And when we work with law enforcement, that transparency becomes an advantage.

What’s often misunderstood is that crypto isn’t uniquely vulnerable to crime—it’s uniquely visible.

In fact, our teams have helped law enforcement trace funds, identify repeat suspects, and proactively block known bad actors. We’ve used blockchain analytics to connect wallet addresses, flag suspicious behavior in real time, and prevent future losses.

We don’t do this because we’re required to. We do it because it’s the right thing to do—and because protecting our users and the crypto ecosystem is central to our mission.

The Phone Is the New Wallet

Here’s what’s changed:

• Most people no longer carry cash—they carry financial access via their phones.

• A stolen phone can be bypassed to access apps and authorize transfers

• Crypto apps, like banking apps, are vulnerable not because of the tech, but because criminals coerce and force users into unlocking their phones in real time.

That’s why we’re investing in new forms of protection—both technical and procedural—and working closely with law enforcement across the globe to investigate and stop these crimes.

Our Commitment

As part of this series, we’ll be sharing real cases that demonstrate how crypto can actually help fight crime—not hide it. And how Coinbase has been setting the standard for what good looks like when it comes to working with law enforcement since we began this work in 2013.

In the weeks ahead, you’ll hear how:

• We helped identify and block serial offenders in London, United Kingdom targeting victims late at night

• We traced assets from a high-profile robbery in Toronto resulting in the sharing of intelligence

• Our data helped secure a conviction in a tragic New York case involving drug-laced assaults and stolen funds

• Blockchain analysis played a pivotal role in the takedown of a robbery ring in Birmingham, United Kingdom targeting LGBTQ+ individuals through dating apps

• How we helped take down a $20M spoofing scheme that exploited Coinbase’s brand

These are complex investigations with real human impact. And behind the scenes, Coinbase is there—helping connect the dots, protecting customers, and making crypto safer for everyone.

We’re proud of this work. And we’re just getting started.