Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong 
Brian Armstrong
Brian Armstrong is the CEO of Coinbase Global, the biggest bitcoin exchange in the US. He is a former software developer for Airbnb. In 2012, Brian teamed up with Fred Ehrsam and launched Coinbase in San Francisco. Even though co-founder Fred Ehrsam left the company in 2017, he remains a board member and owns 6% of the business.
On April 14, 2021, Coinbase went public through a direct offering on the Nasdaq. Soon it momentarily hit $100 billion in market capitalization. About 19% of company shares are owned by Armstrong.
Quick Facts
Full name
Brian Armstrong
Birth
January 25, 1983, in San Jose, California, U.S.
Education
Bachelor of Arts/Economics, Master of Arts/Science, Rice University
Nationality
American
Martial Status
Married
Net Worth
$11.9B (Refer for real-time)
He supports the need for clear regulations and policies for cryptocurrency trading and decentralized transactions. Brian has collaborated with diplomats to formulate the policies. He continues to contribute to the crypto community and blockchain technology.
Brian Armstrong: Timeline of events
2010: Discovered Bitcoin – Read the Bitcoin whitepaper and became interested in decentralized finance.
2012: Co-founded Coinbase – Launched Coinbase with Fred Ehrsam to simplify Bitcoin buying and selling.
2015: Expanded Coinbase Services – Introduced Coinbase Exchange and support for multiple cryptocurrencies.
2017: Led Coinbase Through Crypto Boom – Scaled operations as Bitcoin surged to $20,000, making Coinbase a top exchange.
2021: Coinbase IPO on NASDAQ – Took Coinbase public (COIN) at a $86B valuation, marking a major crypto milestone.
2022: Advocated for Crypto Regulation – Engaged with lawmakers to promote clear crypto regulations in the U.S.
2023: Launched Coinbase’s Layer-2 ‘Base’ – Introduced Base, a Layer-2 blockchain to improve Ethereum scalability.
2024: Pushing for Global Crypto Adoption, Married to Angela Meng.
Year
Award/Notable Work
Details
2012
Co-Founded Coinbase
Built one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
2017
Fortune 40 Under 40 – Technology
Recognized for leadership in the crypto industry.
2021
Coinbase IPO on NASDAQ
Took Coinbase public with an $86B valuation, a first for a major crypto company.
2021
Time 100 Most Influential People
Listed for his impact on mainstream crypto adoption.
2023
Launched Coinbase’s Layer-2 ‘Base’
Introduced a Layer-2 blockchain to enhance Ethereum scalability.
Useful Links to Connect With Brian Armstrong
Platform
Link
X (formerly Twitter)
https://twitter.com/brian_armstrong
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianarmstrong
Coinbase Official Website
https://www.coinbase.com
Brian Armstrong’s Personal Blog
https://brianarmstrong.com
EntrepreneurInvestorDeveloper/ProgrammerCrypto and Blockchain Expert
announced on X that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to drop its lawsuit against the exchange. The news has sparked excitement in the crypto community, with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse
Brad Garlinghouse
Brad Garlinghouse is an American businessman and a major crypto influencer. He is the CEO of Ripple Labs, which offers cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions. Brad has also worked at Hightail, AOL, and Yahoo in prominent positions.
Ripple Labs has backed several blockchain startups and investors to grow decentralized finance. Brad sees crypto as a tool for financial freedom and has worked with other influencers in this regard.
Quick Facts
Full Name
Bradley Kent Garlinghouse
Birth
06-02-1971, in Topeka, Kansas
Nationality
American
Education
Bachelor's degree in Economics, MBA from Harvard Business School.
Net Worth
$10B (Refer here)
Ripple's native token, XRP is among the top digital assets. As per CoinGape, Brad's company has $100 billion worth of XRP tokens in its reserve. This will help further innovation in Web3 and blockchain projects. As per reports surfing on Binance’s blog, Brad Garlinghouse may step down as CEO of Ripple to join the Crypto Advisory Council, which is led by President Trump. This significant event will boost the adoption of decentralized finance and blockchain growth.
Brad Garlinghouse: Trivia
2007: Served as Senior VP at Yahoo!, heading communications and consumer products.
2012: Became CEO of Hightail, leading digital file-sharing innovations.
2015: Joined Ripple as COO to push blockchain adoption in cross-border payments.
2017: Became CEO of Ripple, driving XRP adoption and blockchain partnerships.
2020: Led Ripple’s defense against the SEC lawsuit over XRP’s security status.
2021: Expanded Ripple’s ODL (On-Demand Liquidity) network for global crypto payments.
2023: Got a partial success against the SEC, declaring XRP as not a security.
2024: Continue leading Ripple in CBDC collaborations and global blockchain finance.
2025: May join Trump's Crypto Advisory Council to set regulations.
Notable Works & Achievements by Brad Garlinghouse
Year
Achievements
Details
2003
Wrote the 'Peanut Butter Manifesto' at Yahoo!
Highlighted Yahoo!'s lack of focus in operations.
2015
Joined Ripple as Chief Operating Officer
Took measures to integrate blockchain technology into banking systems.
2017
Appointed CEO of Ripple
Expanded Ripple's global partnerships, enhancing cross-border payment solutions.
2020
Named in Forbes' List of Wealthiest in Cryptocurrency
Recognized for significant contributions to the crypto industry.
2023
Legal Victory in SEC vs. Ripple Case
Achieved a favorable ruling impacting cryptocurrency regulations.
Useful Links To Connect with Brad Garlinghouse
Platform
Link
X (formerly Twitter)
https://twitter.com/bgarlinghouse
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradgarlinghouse
Ripple’s Website
https://ripple.com/leadership/brad-garlinghouse/
EntrepreneurInvestorChief Executive OfficerBoard Member
welcoming what he sees as a shift away from the SEC’s previous regulatory approach.
Here’s what you need to know.
SEC’s Legal Battle with Coinbase: A Quick Recap
The SEC filed a lawsuit against Coinbase in 2023, accusing the exchange of offering unregistered investment products. This was part of the regulator’s broader crackdown on crypto companies that it claimed were operating outside U.S. securities laws.
Armstrong stated that the SEC’s agreement does not require Coinbase to pay fines or change how it operates—an outcome that has surprised many in the industry. However, the SEC has yet to release an official statement confirming this settlement.
Ripple CEO and Legal Experts React
Brad Garlinghouse, a key figure in the crypto space, praised the development, saying it signals a move away from past regulatory policies.
Legal experts have also weighed in. Attorney Jeremy Hogan speculated that the SEC could be preparing for bigger regulatory changes. Former SEC official John Reed Stark went further, predicting that the SEC might soon drop its lawsuit against Ripple—an idea Hogan supports.
What’s Next for Ripple?
Despite these predictions, the SEC recently filed its opening brief against Ripple in an ongoing legal battle. Ripple has until April 16 to submit its cross-appeal brief, showing that the case is far from over.
As regulatory decisions continue to shift, the crypto industry will be watching closely to see if the SEC’s stance on Coinbase signals a broader change in approach.
Whether this is a true policy shift or just a one-off decision remains to be seen.
