BRIAN ARMSTRONG
BLOCKCHAIN & CRYPTO
W hen Brian Armstrong first stumbled across Bitcoin’ s whitepaper in 2010, cryptocurrencies were still the domain of tech enthusiasts and libertarian dreamers.
Fast forward to today, and Brian’ s brainchild, Coinbase, stands as the trusted gateway that has ushered millions of ordinary people into the world of digital assets.
Founded in 2012, the San Franciscobased firm has deftly navigated the wild west of crypto to emerge as America’ s leading cryptocurrency exchange.
Unlike its more freewheeling competitors, Coinbase has consistently sought the path of regulatory compliance – a strategy that paid off handsomely when it debuted on the Nasdaq in April 2021, briefly touching a breathtaking US $ 100bn valuation.
Building the crypto bridge“ I felt like finally, the world had invented something better than paper money and gold,” Brian once reflected about his early Bitcoin epiphany. This insight spurred him and co-founder Fred Ehrsam to create a platform that would make buying Bitcoin as simple as online shopping.
The timing was bold. The crypto world was still reeling from Mt. Gox’ s spectacular collapse, and public trust in digital currencies was at rock bottom.
BRIAN ARMSTRONG
TITLE: CO-FOUNDER & CEO COMPANY: COINBASE
Brian Armstrong is the CEO and co-founder of Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange he launched in 2012. He’ s known for pioneering mainstream crypto adoption and building a regulated digital asset platform.
54 June 2025