DeFi should feel 'magical' for average consumers, says Coinbase product director behind new bitcoin-backed loans

Quick Take

  • Coinbase Product Director Michael Rihani explains how the goal of Coinbase’s new bitcoin-backed loans is to make DeFi more accessible for everyday consumers

Episode 510 of The Scoop was recorded with The Block's Frank Chaparro, and Coinbase Director of Product Michael Rihani

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Michael Rihani is the director of products at Coinbase and one of the chief architects behind Coinbase's new bitcoin-backed loan product for everyday consumers.

In this episode, Rihani explains how Coinbase's new loan product is designed to make DeFi feel 'magical,' and how this fits into Coinbase's broader strategy of bringing the power of blockchain technology to a global audience.

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
00:57 Sponsor Shoutouts
03:11 Coinbase's New Loan Product
07:50 The "DeFi Mullet"
09:21 Morpho Integration
11:52 CeFi+DeFi Synergy
17:00 Coinbase's Product Roadmap
21:00 Making DeFi "Magical"
23:12 DeFi Adoption Roadblocks
25:54 The Future of DeFi Lending

GUEST LINKS
Michael Rihani on X: https://www.x.com/MichaelRihani
Coinbase's crypto-backed loans: https://www.coinbase.com/loans


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© 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

AUTHOR

Davis Quinton is the Director of Podcasts at The Block and runs our flagship podcast called The Scoop, hosted by Frank Chaparro. Since joining The Block as an 'intern' in early 2022, he has worked closely with leaders across departments to translate The Block's written content into engaging multimedia formats. He holds a degree in Social Research & Public Policy from New York University in Abu Dhabi and is based in Sydney, Australia.

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Editor

To contact the editor of this story: Lawrence Lewitinn at [email protected]

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