This week, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed that Kevin Durant has regained access to the Coinbase account, which he opened nearly a decade ago. This is to put an end to speculation surrounding the NBA star’s supposed permanent lockout.
Durant first entered the market in late 2016, when Bitcoin was trading for around $650. Currently, the largest cryptocurrency has changed hands at around $117,000, representing an increase of about 180 times since its first purchase.
Over the past five years alone, Bitcoin prices have risen by more than 950%, turning initial investments into millions of dollars in holdings.
This has been fixed. Your account has been recovered! https://t.co/twyfpqkxsb
– Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) September 19, 2025
The account issue occurred during discussions at CNBC’s Game Plans Conference in Los Angeles. Durant’s business partner Rich Clyman said his clients were unable to log in for years. A few hours later, Armstrong wrote that he addressed the issue directly on social media and that the recovery process was completed.
The NBA Star will become the leading exchange investor in the US
Durant’s connection to Coinbase exceeds user accounts. In 2017, he and Kleiman added Coinbase to their 35V investment company portfolio. Four years later, the companies signed a marketing agreement, and Durant became one of the company’s public ambassadors.
Despite these ties, he was unable to access the Bitcoin he purchased prior to his partnership and investment.
The scale of the numbers involved puts recovery in view. A $10,000 Bitcoin investment at Durant’s entrance price is worth almost $1.8 million. Even one coin purchased in 2016 is worth over $116,000.
Durant, who is set to play in the NBA season against the Houston Rockets, has regained direct control of the assets he acquired nearly a decade ago.
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