Less random than paypal when it originally started. States had to come up with laws designed just for paypal, because an e-wallet was something completely new.
“We’re in uncharted territory, so hard to say if this stuff falls under a particular state’s MTL [money transmitting license] statutes,” says co-founder Fred Ehrsam. “We’re still talking to states to figure out how each responds, but Coinbase is prepared to get licensed where a regulator deems it’s necessary.”
In the meantime, he is continuing to do business, relying on the fact that Coinbase has its AML and KYC processes established.
Google is a "random" company holding all your emails, Facebook is another one holding all the photos -and many interactions- of your lifetime (maybe not yet, but very soon), Apple is one holding all your music; etc etc.
> Google is a "random" company holding all your emails
Yes, that's a problem, and it's not even money. I don't use GMail, and it irks me that so many people willingly share our mutual correspondence with Google on my behalf.
Now, what if Google was holding my savings account and the only thing protecting me was ... what? A digital key, which they hold in escrow?
“We’re in uncharted territory, so hard to say if this stuff falls under a particular state’s MTL [money transmitting license] statutes,” says co-founder Fred Ehrsam. “We’re still talking to states to figure out how each responds, but Coinbase is prepared to get licensed where a regulator deems it’s necessary.”
In the meantime, he is continuing to do business, relying on the fact that Coinbase has its AML and KYC processes established.
[1] http://www.coindesk.com/coinbase-gmail-bitcoin/ (Oct 28 2013)