Coinbase to acquire Vector.fun, the Tensor-built Solana trading platform, to advance ‘everything exchange’ vision

Crypto exchange Coinbase has agreed to acquire Vector.fun, a Solana-native trading platform built by Tensor Labs — the team behind the Tensor NFT marketplace — for an undisclosed sum, marking its ninth acquisition this year.

Vector.fun, launched last year as a rival to memecoin trading platform Pump.fun, allows users to trade memecoins and follow other traders via its social trading, or "SocialFi," features. "Trading crypto with your Internet friends and bonding over the latest meme is SocialFi," Tensor co-founder Richard Wu said last year. "Vector is SocialFi."

The acquisition, expected to close by year-end, will help Coinbase expand into the Solana ecosystem. Coinbase's current DEX integration primarily supports Base, its in-house blockchain, and the company said Vector’s Solana-native infrastructure will broaden the universe of assets available on Coinbase.

"Vector’s team has deep Solana-native experience, plus infrastructure that can identify new assets the moment they’re created onchain or launched via major launchpads," Coinbase said. "Their tech will plug directly into our DEX trading integration to eventually improve speed, liquidity, and access to a broader set of assets across the Solana ecosystem."

Coinbase said the deal supports its ambition to build an “everything exchange,” offering faster, cheaper, and 24/7 access to onchain markets.

Tensor Foundation acquires Tensor Marketplace and Tensorians from Tensor Labs

As part of the deal, Vector’s mobile and desktop apps will be shut down. Meanwhile, Tensor Marketplace and the TNSR token will move to the Tensor Foundation — a community governance group for the Tensor protocol.

"We’ve officially acquired the Tensor Marketplace & Tensorians [NFT collection] from Tensor Labs," the Tensor Foundation said. "The Foundation will now own and operate the official marketplace UI built on top of the Tensor Protocols."

Coinbase emphasized that the Tensor Foundation "will remain independent from Coinbase and will steward the Tensor NFT marketplace and native token, which will also remain independent and unaffiliated with Coinbase."

The Foundation outlined several governance changes, including 100% of marketplace fees will now go to the TNSR treasury (up from 50%); 21.6% of unvested founder and Labs tokens will be burned; and founders Wu and Ilja Moisejevs will relock their vested tokens for three more years and remain on the Tensor Protocol Security Council.

Moisejevs told The Block that he and Wu are both joining Coinbase to help run the company's onchain strategy, along with 11 Vector.fun employees. Vector had more staff, but not all are joining; Moisejevs declined to specify the total headcount.

Tensor’s TNSR token has surged more than 500% over the past week. Asked what drove the spike ahead of today’s acquisition announcement, Moisejevs said: "We have no idea what’s going on."

Vector.fun is Coinbase’s ninth acquisition of 2025, following deals for token management platform Liquifi, Web3 adtech firm Spindl, crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, the token-sale platform Echo, and acqui-hires of Iron Fish, Opyn, Roam and Sensible — all supporting its “everything exchange” strategy.