Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong Spotlights Payments As Main Driver Of Mainstream Crypto Adoption

Coinbase COIN CEO Brian Armstrong in a recent interview shared insights on crypto adoption, regulation and his ventures beyond digital assets.

What Happened: In his appearance on the “Moment of Zen” podcast, Armstrong said he sees payments as a key driver of mainstream crypto adoption, particularly in emerging markets. "Everybody in the world has to do payments pretty much every day," he noted, highlighting the potential for stablecoins and layer-2 solutions to enable fast, low-cost transactions globally.

On the regulatory front, Armstrong described Coinbase’s evolving approach in Washington D.C. After years of educational efforts, the company realized it needed to build more political clout through Super PACs and grassroots movements like "Stand With Crypto".          

"We were sort of basically at the little kids’ table in D.C. as an industry," Armstrong said, but he now sees positive developments toward crypto legislation.

After Coinbase’s public listing, it has focused on product development with special efforts in Washington D.C.

Also Read: Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire: ‘Crypto Has Been A Bipartisan Issue For Quite Some Time’

Why It Matters: Armstrong also discussed Coinbase's marketing strategy, which has focused on addressing frustrations with the traditional financial system. A recent campaign centred on the message "Update the System," resonated with Americans who feel the current setup doesn’t work for them.

Beyond Coinbase, Armstrong shared his passion for accelerating scientific progress through investments in "hard tech" companies. This led him to co-found NewLimit, a longevity biotech startup, after Coinbase’s public listing. The CEO sees longevity as a critical area for innovation alongside fields like AI and space exploration.

What’s Next: The influence of Bitcoin as an institutional asset class is expected to be thoroughly explored at Benzinga’s upcoming Future of Digital Assets event on Nov. 19.

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