Coinbase legal chief Paul Grewal to leave at end of July after six years

Departure and transition

Grewal announced his decision on X on Thursday, framing the move as a personal transition rather than the result of internal conflict. Coinbase separately said in an 8-K filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission that Grewal notified the company of his resignation on July 8.

Under the transition plan, he will move into an advisory role after stepping down and will continue to serve on the board of Coinbase National Trust Company. Grewal has not disclosed his next role, saying only that he would share more in due course.

In his public statement, Grewal pointed to a series of milestones from his tenure, including helping take Coinbase public, leading legal efforts in its fight with the SEC, overseeing the company’s move from Delaware to Texas, and working on policy efforts tied to the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act.

A defining legal tenure

Grewal’s time at Coinbase coincided with several high-stakes battles for both the company and the wider crypto sector. Among the most significant was the SEC’s 2023 lawsuit, which alleged that Coinbase had been operating as an unregistered securities exchange, broker and clearing agency.

Coinbase challenged the case, and the source article says the company ultimately prevailed. Grewal was the public face of much of that legal response and became one of the best-known executives shaping Coinbase’s arguments in court and in public policy debates.

Beyond litigation, he also oversaw the company’s reincorporation from Delaware to Texas. The source article further credits him with a central role in Coinbase’s advocacy in Washington around the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act, measures that have been closely watched by the digital asset industry.

Successors and leadership changes

Coinbase is turning to internal and senior leadership figures as it reshapes its legal and policy structure. Molly Abraham, currently vice president of legal, will become general counsel. Grewal said Abraham had worked beside him on Coinbase’s biggest legal disputes for more than five years.

The company is also creating a new position for Robert Van Grack, who will serve as vice chairman. In that role, he is expected to work with governments and partners around the world to support Coinbase’s business interests. Faryar Shirzad, meanwhile, will remain in charge of the company’s global policy team.

Grewal said he was leaving the company in a strong position and praised the people he had worked with during his tenure. While he did not set out his next destination, his departure marks the end of a period in which Coinbase’s legal strategy became central to its public identity as the company navigated regulation, litigation and corporate change.

The change comes at a time when legal leadership remains especially important for major crypto firms operating in the US, where corporate structure, enforcement disputes and federal legislation continue to shape the industry’s direction. For Coinbase, Grewal’s exit closes a chapter tied to its IPO, its courtroom fights and its push for clearer rules in Washington.