Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Grewal to Leave After SEC Case Ends, Join Startup

Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal is leaving the company after helping conclude its yearslong legal fight with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Coinbase announced Grewal’s departure and a broader executive reshuffle on July 9, CoinDesk reported. He is set to join a startup.

In a statement announcing his departure, Grewal called leading what he described as the industry’s biggest legal battle the defining achievement of his six years at Coinbase. He said the victory helped lay the foundation for digital assets not only to survive in the US, but to grow.

Grewal will remain an adviser to Coinbase after stepping down and will continue to work on the company’s effort to obtain a trust charter through the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Vice President Molly Abraham was named his successor as the company’s top legal executive. Abraham joined Coinbase in March 2021 and has led several legal teams. Before joining the company, she served as the top lawyer at an electric aircraft startup.

Ryan VanGrack, the former chief legal officer at Citadel Securities, was promoted to vice president and will take on a role focused on external engagement.

The SEC sued Coinbase in 2023, alleging the company operated as an unregistered broker, clearing agency and securities exchange. The case, filed under then-SEC Chair Gary Gensler, ended after the regulator dropped the suit following President Donald Trump’s inauguration.