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Finance·Founded 2013
CoinDesk
CenterBullish (Block.one)
CoinDesk is a cryptocurrency and blockchain news outlet founded in 2013. It was acquired by Bullish, a crypto exchange backed by Block.one, in 2023. The acquisition by a company directly in the crypto industry raised significant editorial independence concerns. CoinDesk initially broke the story that led to the collapse of FTX.
Ownership Chain
CoinDeskBullish (Block.one)Bullish / Block.one (Brendan Blumer, CEO)
Funding Sources
advertisingevents (Consensus conference)subscriptionscrypto industry sponsorships
Known Conflicts of Interest
- •Owned by Bullish, a crypto exchange backed by Block.one, creating a direct conflict of interest when covering the cryptocurrency industry.
- •CoinDesk's Consensus conference is one of the largest crypto industry events, generating revenue from the industry it covers.
- •Block.one paid $24 million to settle SEC charges related to its unregistered ICO of EOS tokens.
- •Several senior editorial staff resigned after the Bullish acquisition, citing concerns about editorial independence.
Notable Connections
- •Block.one settled SEC charges for $24 million over its EOS token offering
- •CoinDesk's reporting on Alameda Research's balance sheet precipitated the FTX collapse
- •Consensus conference is a major crypto industry event generating millions in sponsorship revenue
- •Multiple senior editors departed after the Bullish acquisition