Bielski
Bielski v. Coinbase Global, Inc.
Opinion
Trial Court Opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
ABRAHAM BIELSKI, Plaintiff, No. C 21-07478 WHA
v.
COINBASE, INC., ORDER RE MOTION TO COMPEL
ARBITRATION
Defendant.
15 16 INTRODUCTION In this action accusing defendant cryptocurrency exchange platform of violating the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and Regulation E, defendant moves to compel arbitration. Because the delegation clause and the broader arbitration provision are unconscionable for the same reasons, the motion is DENIED. STATEMENT Defendant Coinbase, Inc. operates a currency exchange. But beyond fiat currencies like dollars and yen, Coinbase also allows users to buy and trade in various forms of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is a decentralized, digital representation of value secured through cryptography. Novelty and the lure of large returns have resulted in speculation in cryptocurrency like bitcoin and ethereum gaining mainstream popularity. To…