Coinbase has filed a counter lawsuit in Marion County Circuit Court under Oregon’s public records law, targeting Governor Tina Kotek and Attorney General Dan Rayfield. The complaint centers on allegations that these officials “flip‑flopped” on crypto regulation without public hearings or agency rulemaking.
Oregon Gov @TinaKotek, AG @DanRayfield and other state officials flip flopped on digital assets behind closed doors, without hearings or agency rulemaking and public comment. And now they refuse the public records that show this. To right this wrong we are taking them to court. pic.twitter.com/UGecpM1YqX
— paulgrewal.eth (@iampaulgrewal) July 11, 2025
Coinbase Sues Oregon Officials
Via an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, asserted that the officials had refused to release records detailing the decision. Following the claims, Coinbase accuses the officials of reversing policy “behind closed doors” and asserts the lawsuit aims to unmask the process and restore transparency for Oregon residents.
The legal move follows Oregon’s April lawsuit accusing Coinbase of offering unregistered securities, filed shortly after the federal SEC dropped a similar case. Coinbase contends the state’s action is a politically motivated “copycat” of the SEC’s dropped enforcement. It warned that such state-level suits risk violating national crypto regulations.
Coinbase believes it will clarify Oregon’s abrupt change of crypto stance by forcing open government communication. The company aims to challenge a process it describes as secretive and unfair in a bid to uphold consumer rights and regulatory consistency. Notably, the legal clash comes amid growing crypto legislation in the United States.
Commenting on the dispute in an interview with local media outlet The Washington Times, Vice President of Litigation at Coinbase, Ryan VanGrack, said:
“So, why is Governor Kotek refusing to provide basic information about the case, including why the state suddenly flipped its views on crypto? Oregonians deserve to know why their government is keeping them in the dark — and why they’re pursuing a case that would deprive Oregonians (and only Oregonians) from trading crypto.”
Coinbase’s Recent Lawsuits
Coinbase’s newly filed records-request lawsuit in Oregon adds to a list of legal battles. Coinbase recently faced an antitrust lawsuit from BiT Global alleging harm from the delisting of Wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC) in favor of cbBTC. The Justin Sun-affiliated firm sought over $1 billion in damages. However, a court in California dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.
Prior to the dismissal, Coinbase celebrated a legal victory in South Carolina. The Attorney General’s office dropped its lawsuit accusing the exchange of offering unregistered securities via its crypto staking service. The dismissal marked South Carolina as the second state to retract its case following the SEC’s earlier dismissal of its similar lawsuit in February 2025.
