John O’Loghlen is leading Coinbase’s Asia-Pacific expansion by using a broad range of global experience, including failed franchise efforts in China and building a gourmet pizza chain, to help the US-based crypto platform adapt its approach for Australia and other markets. His aim is straightforward - make cryptocurrency mainstream, with each market shaped by local conditions and regulation.
Coinbase is not just entering new regions, it is customising offerings to match them. O’Loghlen, now Australia and APAC managing director, believes localisation is essential for growth. Australia is its second-largest regional market after Singapore and is being treated as a proving ground for regulated digital assets. With teams focused on local finance, compliance and marketing already in place, Coinbase doubled its Australian revenue compared to the previous year and is planning the launch of a crypto product designed specifically for self-managed super funds.
O’Loghlen’s global business mindset developed early. Raised in New Zealand by small business owners, he rowed competitively while studying at Cambridge - an experience that shaped his leadership with a focus on grit and teamwork. His career spans high finance with Goldman Sachs, launching a pizza brand in Beijing and helping to build Alibaba’s Australia operations. At each stage, he saw the speed at which technology can transform industries, especially when delivery apps overtook his hospitality venture.
These experiences proved valuable when he joined Coinbase in 2022, as regulatory frameworks tightened around the world. Rather than avoid regulation, the company embraced it by registering with Austrac, building local operations and preparing for an Australian financial services licence. That forward-thinking approach is now paying off, with clearer government direction on digital assets starting to emerge.
Australia’s uptake of digital assets continues to rise. One in three Australians have owned cryptocurrency, and institutions are beginning to enter the market. Coinbase wants to serve both the tech-savvy and self-managed super funds looking for portfolio diversification, and sees clear regulation as key to long-term trust. The company is now actively engaging in consultations with the government on stablecoins and how digital asset platforms should be regulated.
At 51, O’Loghlen looks back on his journey from Wall Street to Beijing's competitive food scene to Sydney’s crypto community with humility and persistence. He still rows to stay balanced and credits his success to emotional intelligence, resilience and adaptability. To him, cryptocurrency is the latest frontier, though it stands firmly on a base of international, commercial and cultural experience.
