As one of the industry giants, Coinbase has always played a crucial role in the progress of the crypto industry. However, for the Chinese-speaking community, they are like "the most familiar strangers" on the other side of the globe.
Coinciding with Coinbase's major expansion into the Asia-Pacific region this year, we were fortunate to sit face-to-face with John O'Loghlen, Coinbase's Managing Director for Asia-Pacific. In the recording studio, we spent an hour asking all the questions we wanted to know about Coinbase's present and future.
John lived in China for over 10 years, and his wife is from Hong Kong. You can feel his affection for China from all the Chinese words that kept popping up in his conversation.
We look forward to seeing what different surprises Coinbase will bring us in the APAC.
tl;dr (for those who find it too long to listen/read)
Coinbase's "Go Deep, Go Broad" international expansion strategy:
- Go Deep: Establish local entities, comply with local regulations
- Go Broad: Enter markets through products like Base, wallet, etc.
Coinbase's strategy in the Asia-Pacific region:
- Singapore as the Asian hub
- Focus on markets like Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Philippines, and South Korea
- Mainland China is not a priority at present
Coinbase's market education strategy:
- Education through offline events and community building
- Collaborate with sports events like marathons to promote NFT applications
- Organize private dinners and discussions for high-end users
Coinbase's view on the future of cryptocurrency:
- Focus on practical application cases, such as identity verification, insurance, etc.
- Invest in Layer 3 (application layer) projects
- Pay attention to blockchain applications in areas like art IP, trade finance, etc.
John's advice for beginners:
- Learn through practice, personally try using wallets and exchanges
- Start with small amounts, don't invest too much capital
- Recommend reading Chris Dixon's "Read Write Own" to understand the potential of blockchain
Upcoming events for Coinbase/Base:
- Devcon and its side events
- Singapore FinTech Festival
- Australian Cryptocurrency Conference
- Melbourne Marathon NFT project
01:32 - John introduces himself and his role at Coinbase.
02:11 - John discusses his experiences in China, starting from 2005.
09:09 - John explains why he joined Coinbase and discusses Coinbase's international strategy.
13:42 - Conversation about economic freedom and regulation in the crypto industry.
17:14 - John discusses Coinbase's product offerings in different markets.
23:12 - Discussion about Coinbase's global expansion strategies, particularly in Africa and South America.
29:47 - John talks about Coinbase's plans in the APAC region, focusing on Singapore and Hong Kong.
34:41 - Conversation about Coinbase's approach to Chinese-speaking markets.
38:39 - Discussion about Coinbase's marketing and education strategies.
46:09 - John talks about Coinbase's plans for NFTs related to the Melbourne Marathon.
54:37 - Discussion about future trends in the crypto industry.
58:26 - Conversation about layer 2 and layer 3
01:01:46 - John offers advice for crypto beginners.
01:06:05 - Information about upcoming Coinbase events.
Host：
Vivienne (Twitter: @Vivienne_smile & 即刻: Viv是Vivienne)
Zhiyang (Twitter @zhiyangxyz)
Weibo：Cryptoria
Twitter: @0x_cryptoria
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Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are solely those of the hosts and guest, and are shared for informational purposes only. They do not constitute investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risks. Before making any investment decisions, please conduct thorough research and consult with relevant professionals.