Coinbase user agreement dispute reaches US Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court has taken up a legal dispute concerning Coinbase and its users, specifically addressing a significant procedural matter on whether a judge or an arbitrator should decide which contract governs disputes.

According to a report from Bloomberg, this issue stems from conflicting agreements between the parties, with one contract advocating arbitration and another supporting courtroom litigation.

Coinbase had initially applied arbitration clauses to its clients, but a complication arose with a sweepstakes agreement that directed dispute resolution to California courts. Following allegations of deceptive advertising, customers pursued legal action through a class-action lawsuit, contesting Coinbase’s usual arbitration process.

Coinbase’s efforts to promote arbitration faced opposition in lower courts. A federal judge in California, backed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, affirmed that the sweepstakes agreement, which favored courtroom resolution, should prevail. As a result, the company’s request to move the dispute to arbitration was not granted.

Related: Coinbase narrows loss, while crypto trading volumes fall in Q3

This judicial reluctance comes despite a recent Supreme Court decision, which leaned 5–4 in favor of Coinbase in a related matter. The court then ruled to support the company’s efforts to pause customer lawsuits while it sought to move disputes into arbitration.

During this legal dispute, Coinbase has remained proactive. The company has broadened its services, introducing new trading options for its users. Eligible retail customers can now engage in crypto futures trading, with contracts sized more accessibly, representing a fraction of the value of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).

The Supreme Court’s choice to take up this case represents a pivotal development for firms utilizing arbitration clauses. It also highlights the court’s continued involvement in defining the distinctions between arbitration and legal proceedings. The verdict will likely impact the formulation and enforcement of user agreements, particularly in the ever-evolving domain of digital currency trading.

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