Coinbase Acquires Echo for $375M to Improve Crypto Fundraising

Coinbase, one of the biggest crypto exchanges, has recently bought Echo, a startup that helps blockchain projects raise money directly from their communities. According to the official announcement, the deal is worth about $375 million. 

This move shows Coinbase’s commitment to building an easy-to-use platform where crypto startups and investors can connect and work together.

Echo Makes Raising Funds Simple for Crypto Startups

Echo was founded in 2024 by Jordan Fish, also known as Cobie in the crypto world. The platform quickly became popular because it makes it easier for crypto projects to get funding. Since it started, Echo has helped over 300 projects raise more than $200 million by connecting them directly with their communities. 

Echo was able to seal the deals through private deals or public token sales using its main product, Sonar. Cobie has emphasized that Echo empowers startups to bypass traditional fundraising barriers, giving their communities a direct stake in their success. 

The platform has become an important link between crypto startups and investors. This is because it gives investors access to early-stage opportunities that were once available only to a few.

Building a Full-Stack Fundraising Solution

Coinbase sees Echo as a critical piece of a broader strategy to offer a “full-stack” solution for crypto fundraising. Notably, this initiative is part of the exchange’s broader effort to build what it calls the “everything exchange.” 

In a recent X post, Echo founder said the platform will continue operating under its current brand. However, Sonar’s public sale functionality will be brought into Coinbase. 

By adding Sonar’s public sale features to Coinbase, the exchange wants to make it easier for startups to raise capital. At the same time, it gives investors direct access to early-stage projects. 

Cobie also said the company plans to create new ways for founders to connect with investors. It will also help investors find more opportunities through Coinbase. 

Coinbase Plans Echo Expansion Beyond Crypto

In the future, Coinbase plans to use Echo to support not just cryptocurrencies, but also tokenized securities and real-world assets. This means fundraising could include traditional financial products in a digital, tokenized form.

These plans show that Coinbase is committed to supporting new crypto entrepreneurs. The exchange is also focused on making it easier for more people to invest in opportunities. 

Furthermore, Echo purchase fits with Coinbase’s recent acquisition moves. In June, the company bought LiquiFi, a popular token management platform. This was after the trading platform invested a whopping $2.9 billion to buy Deribit, a crypto futures and options exchange in May. This marked Coinbase’s biggest acquisition so far. Each deal supports Coinbase’s plan to expand beyond trading and turn itself into a broad platform for managing money onchain.