Brian Armstrong says finance must move on-chain or fall behind

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the financial system still needs eight key upgrades before crypto-based finance can reach wider use. 

His list covered RWA tokenization, 24/7 global trading, stablecoin payments, AI tools, self-custody wallets, easier capital formation, sound money, and better regulation.

Armstrong said the future system will become more global, more automated, and more on-chain. He wrote that the work is not complete until these systems serve more users, adding, “Jobs not done until we get these working for all.”

RWA tokenization leads Coinbase CEO’s upgrade list

Armstrong placed tokenization of real-world assets at the top of his list. He said real estate, stocks, bonds, and funds can move on-chain to support faster settlement, wider distribution, and fractional ownership.

The comment comes as tokenization remains a leading crypto theme in 2026. Related reports said the tokenized RWA market grew 263% year over year in 2025 and about 30% in the first quarter of 2026.

Coinbase has also tied its public strategy to this shift. In its Q1 2026 earnings call, the company said stablecoins had passed $300 billion in market value, while tokenized real-world assets were expected to reach $16 trillion by 2030.

Stablecoins and AI payments gain ground

Armstrong also named next-generation payments as a needed upgrade. He pointed to near-instant, low-cost global transfers using stablecoins, including payments made by AI agents.

That view matches Coinbase’s recent work around machine payments. Related coverage said Coinbase’s x402 protocol became native to Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, letting AI agents pay for services in USDC without human input. The report said transactions settle on Base in about 200 milliseconds.

Separate coverage said Coinbase launched Agentic.market, a marketplace where AI agents can find and buy services using USDC through x402. At launch, the system had settled about 165 million transactions across more than 480,000 agents.

Regulation and access remain central themes

Armstrong also called for innovation-friendly regulation. He said rules should move away from one-size-fits-all systems and toward risk-based models that support competition.

The point follows Coinbase’s support for the CLARITY Act. Related reports said Armstrong backed the bill before a Senate markup, after lawmakers adjusted language on stablecoin yield, DeFi, tokenized stocks, and the CFTC’s role in crypto markets.

The Senate Banking Committee later advanced the CLARITY Act in a 15 to 9 vote. Related reports said Coinbase stock rose 8% after the vote, while the bill still needed a full Senate vote and reconciliation with the House version.

Meanwhile, Coinbase stock was trading at $184.99, down 4.43% over the past 24 hours, with the session range between $184.60 and $195.59, according to TradingView market data.

Coinbase expands stablecoin infrastructure

Armstrong also named expanded access as part of the financial upgrade. He pointed to open protocols, fewer middlemen, and self-custody wallets for users with smartphones.

Coinbase has moved in that direction through new stablecoin tools. Related coverage said Coinbase and Flipcash launched USDF, a Solana-based custom stablecoin fully backed by USDC. Coinbase said the product helps businesses issue branded stablecoins without building the full reserve and settlement system.

The broader message from Armstrong is clear: Coinbase sees future finance as faster, more open, and more automated. His post links tokenization, stablecoins, AI, and regulation into one roadmap for on-chain finance.