Cantor Fitzgerald dedicated a substantial endorsement to Coinbase (COIN) on Tuesday, April 8, by selecting the company as the optimal vehicle to exploit upcoming crypto development, which they describe as the “ChatGPT moment” for web3. An institution-wide adoption of web3 remains slow, while analysts Brett Knoblauch and Thomas Shinske envision Coinbase evolving into “mission-critical infrastructure” that supports the cryptocurrency economy. Their bet? The analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald issued a $245 price forecast representing a 50% increase from COIN’s present $162.883 value (according to real-time data at 08:48 AM PDT) based on stablecoins and Base Layer-2 functions powering this increase. The stock currently stands at $163.76 after gaining 4% but has lost 36% this year.
The current market situation remains tough for Bitcoin since it has maintained a position under $80K following the recent market crash, but stocks continue to struggle for significant growth. Regulatory uncertainties have forced established institutions to step away from pursuing the market while retail traders and hedge funds guide trading activity in the industry. According to Cantor, Coinbase shows all signs of overcoming its prolonged market stall. According to the article, the change has occurred over multiple decades, like the rise of the internet, because Base provides quick and cheap transactions, and Coinbase maintains close ties with Circle’s USDC through their platform. I support the argument that Base’s simple onboarding system might be the catalyst, but I prefer to see verifiable statistics before accepting the hype.
Base and Stablecoins: Coinbase Ticket to the Big Leagues
Based on Coinbase, it represents the hidden gem among its Ethereum Layer-2 products. Cantor Base continues to lead the marketplace because it delivers low prices and simple on-chain connectivity that lets users experience dapps and DeFi easily. The Base platform recorded 4.15 million new unique addresses during one day in March, which generated a remarkable peak in their numbers. Data from The Block showed zero changes in transaction numbers and user activity while Buterin engaged in speculations. The stats from bots and multi-address spamming networks show an incorrect picture regarding company performance. Cantor relies on a model that yields self-propelling growth where expanding user numbers attract developers whose platforms attract additional users, which benefits COIN. The market should wake up to the opportunities in this area, from their perspective.
Stablecoins stand out as the company’s main money-making branch of operation. The year 2024 brought $910 million in revenue to Coinbase, while its $694 million earnings from the previous year showcased stablecoin dominance over other business segments. According to Cantor’s forecast, the stablecoin market will reach $1 trillion by 2030 while Circle and Tether maintain their position, which could boost Coinbase stablecoin income 5-10 times based on yield rates. Pending regulatory approvals and the new price predictions could align for an expected substantial increase valued at $245. Thanks to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who both endorsed Tether reserves and represents Cantor’s 5% investment stake in the asset, there is a supportive Trump administration attitude that potentially boosts approval processes. The CFO at Coinbase indicated during an interview last month that they are engaging with the SEC about security tokens and global crypto products to secure institutional clients.
$245 Target with Room to Run—or Stumble
Under their “overweight” rating, Cantor assigned COIN shareholders a $245 price target representing their prediction for crypto’s “down year” in 2026 when earnings will be flat. Cantor explains that financial performance will surge if Coinbase experiences a turnaround in seasonality patterns. Analysts believe Bitcoin follows a typical pattern during halving cycles, where it experiences slumps in the second year; therefore, they adopt a cautious approach. COIN’s year-to-date decline by 36% from its peak value at $254 remains damaging, while the latest 4% increase in stock prices demonstrates moderate optimism. Tariff uncertainties, together with macroeconomic instabilities, added to the decline. The X platform mirrors Cantor’s sentiment about Coinbase with followers such as @stakooor, who view Coinbase as “crypto’s face” through USDC and custody strength. At the same time, @iamDCinvestor doubts Coinbase’s shifted position toward on-chain from commodity trading.
My take? The company stands to serve as the axis point when institutions start participating because its Base platform and USDC network represent solid performance drivers. Skepticism rises from the automated numbers in Base’s growth statistics because organic development needs to be genuine rather than artificial. The price of BTC under $80K combined with ongoing regulatory issues makes its potential success uncertain. At $245, Cantor offers reasonable valuation potential for COIN stock, which currently sits at $162.883 and still has upward momentum based on the Trump administration’s regulatory successes. Last week’s market turbulence has traders watching this stock even if their initial wounds did not stem from it, because crypto’s future heavily depends on it.
