Bitcoin 
Ethereum 
Tether 
BNB 
Solana 
XRP 
USDC 
Lido Staked Ether 
Cardano 
Avalanche 
Key Points:
-
Coinbase acquires Echo for $375 million after less than two years of operation.
-
Echo’s first fundraising success was Ethena, a growing synthetic dollar project.
-
The deal revives attention on public token sales similar to the ICO boom.
-
Coinbase plans to merge Echo’s tools to expand tokenized asset investing.
Coinbase’s acquisition of Echo marks one of the most strategic moves in crypto this year. The $375 million deal reflects Coinbase’s focus on expanding beyond trading and custody, reaching deeper into early-stage investment infrastructure. Echo, founded by well-known trader Jordan Fish, or “Cobie,” in 2024, has become a standout in community-driven crypto fundraising.
From my perspective, this move highlights Coinbase’s intent to unify on-chain capital raising with mainstream access. Echo’s community-based approach and Coinbase’s regulatory footprint form a strong combination that could redefine how retail and institutional investors join token sales.
Echo’s rapid rise in crypto crowdfunding
Echo was launched in April 2024 to help communities invest together in private crypto rounds. Within eight months, it raised over $51 million through 131 deals. Its first fundraising was for Ethena, a project behind the synthetic dollar protocol USDe, one of the fastest-growing yield-bearing stablecoins.
Echo became popular for its transparency and its ability to simplify early-stage investing. For investors, it created an open channel to projects that previously had limited access to venture capital firms. For founders, it provided a reliable method to raise capital from real users, not only funds.
Echo’s next big step was Sonar, a product allowing founders to host public token sales across blockchains such as Base, Solana, and Cardano. This flexibility made it an appealing platform for upcoming crypto startups.
ANOTHER MUST-WATCH ON ICN.LIVE:
Why Coinbase moved fast
Coinbase, already leading in exchange operations, saw Echo as a chance to expand its ecosystem. Integrating Echo and Sonar allows Coinbase to connect verified users directly to compliant token sales. This aligns with its mission to bring financial markets onchain.
Coinbase stated, “Integrating Echo’s tools will help us enable more direct community participation, joining projects with capital, entirely on-chain.”
This approach reflects Coinbase’s long-term strategy to bridge traditional finance and decentralized fundraising. By keeping Echo standalone “for now,” the company gains flexibility to test new features without changing the main exchange structure.
A revival of token sales and community investing
Many in the industry see this acquisition as a signal of a new token sales wave. The structure resembles the 2017 ICO era but with better tools, regulations, and transparency. Reports from Tiger Research show a rise in public sales through launchpads like Sonar, Buidlpad, and Legion.
These platforms have become popular again because they allow projects to attract users while building liquidity early. The difference now lies in compliance and clearer rules. Unlike past ICOs, modern token sales include identity verification and stronger investor protection.
The Coinbase acquisition of Echo supports this change. It connects established trust with community access, allowing investors to engage confidently in early opportunities.
ANOTHER MUST-READ ON ICN.LIVE:
What this means for the future
If you ask me, this merger will reshape how startups raise funds in the blockchain space. Coinbase can now provide founders with a ready-made investor base, while users gain verified opportunities directly through a known platform.
The plan to expand Echo’s infrastructure to tokenized securities and real-world assets is another sign of how far Coinbase is thinking. This move turns the exchange from a simple trading platform into a full-scale investment ecosystem.
Echo’s success story, starting from Ethena and ending in a multimillion-dollar acquisition, also sends a message: crypto crowdfunding is not only back, it’s becoming smarter and more structured.
