Coinbase names Ryan VanGrack vice chair as Paul Grewal steps down
Company and regulator records clarify the leadership change and the limits of Coinbase's earlier SEC case dismissal.
Coinbase named Ryan VanGrack vice chair in a July 2026 leadership transition. Outgoing chief legal officer Paul Grewal said in his public announcement that VanGrack would work with governments and partners around the world. Grewal also named Molly Abraham as the company’s new general counsel.
What the company disclosed
In a July 9 securities filing, Coinbase said Grewal had notified the company on July 8 that he intended to step down as chief legal officer and secretary, effective July 31. His agreement provided for advisory work from August 1 through October 31, 2026. The filing said Coinbase expected to appoint Abraham as general counsel and secretary. Coinbase’s current leadership page lists her as general counsel. Grewal said he would continue serving on the board of Coinbase National Trust Company.
VanGrack’s new role
Grewal’s 2024 hiring announcement said VanGrack joined Coinbase from Citadel Securities, where he had been general counsel. The National Constitution Center’s biography also describes his earlier work at the Securities and Exchange Commission and in the Obama White House. Grewal described the vice chair role as work with governments and partners. His announcement did not assign VanGrack responsibility for a particular bill, equities product, or artificial-intelligence product.
The SEC case in context
The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Coinbase in 2023 over its crypto trading and staking services. The agency dismissed the case in February 2025 as a policy decision while it reconsidered its approach to crypto regulation. The SEC expressly said the dismissal was not an assessment of the merits of its allegations. The case ended without a court ruling that Coinbase’s disputed conduct was lawful.