Interesting that you say that. Coinbase is verifiably registered with FinCEN, but not the states, as far as I can see. (Square, mentioned in the article, actually is registered in California.)

http://www.fincen.gov/financial_institutions/msb/msbstatesel...

http://www.dfi.ca.gov/directory/money_transmitters.html

I thought Coinbase was based out of SF and even backed by YC?

Not sure though, seeing on the privacy page an Oregon address.

https://coinbase.com/about

If you google that address, it is an old address for earth class mail, a commercial mail scanning/forwarding service. (I use them too; they rock if you move a lot, or live overseas.)