Coinbase CEO Outlines Eight Crypto Upgrades Needed to Fix Global Finance

Highlights:

• Brian Armstrong says modern finance still needs deeper crypto upgrades across several major areas.
• He sees tokenized assets, global trading, and stablecoins as important tools for faster finance.
• Armstrong says artificial intelligence, self-custody, and clearer rules can expand financial access.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the global financial system still needs major upgrades across tokenization, trading, payments, regulation, access, and capital formation. In a post on X on Monday, Armstrong listed eight areas where he believes finance has not yet fully moved into the digital age.

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

The Coinbase chief also pointed to 24/7 global trading as another area that needs improvement. Traditional markets often close after fixed trading hours and depend on local systems. Armstrong said pooled global liquidity could allow more assets to trade around the clock with better capital efficiency.

Major areas where the financial system still needs an update:

1. Tokenization of real-world assets – Real estate, stocks, bonds, funds, etc. onchain for instant settlement, fractional ownership & massive distribution.

2. 24/7 Global trading – Pooled global liquidity, every…

— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) May 24, 2026

Armstrong Points to Stablecoins and AI in Finance

Stablecoins were another major part of Armstrong’s post. He said the next generation of payments can use stablecoins for near-instant and low-cost global transfers. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to keep a stable value, often by tracking the U.S. dollar or another fiat currency.

Armstrong also connected stablecoins with artificial intelligence agents. He said AI agents could use these payments for automated transactions. This idea fits with a growing market discussion around machine-to-machine payments, where software programs may need to send or receive money without using traditional bank accounts.

Artificial intelligence was also listed as a separate upgrade area for finance. Armstrong said AI could improve risk checks, credit decisions, compliance, fraud detection, and financial advice. These tools could help companies make faster decisions and give more people access to financial guidance.

Crypto Needs Clearer Rules and Better Financial Access

Armstrong also called for innovation-friendly regulation. He said the industry needs risk-based rules instead of one-size-fits-all oversight. In his view, better rules could support competition, new products, and safer growth across the crypto sector.

The Coinbase CEO also focused on wider financial access. He said open protocols and self-custodial wallets could let anyone with a smartphone access financial services. A self-custodial wallet gives users control over their own crypto assets rather than relying solely on a bank, broker, or exchange.

Capital formation was another area on Armstrong’s list. He said finance needs lower-cost and easier fundraising tools for good ideas. Blockchain-based systems could make fundraising faster and more open, although such products still need proper investor protection and regulatory clarity. Armstrong ended his list with sound money. He described it as a refuge from inflation when discipline is lost in fiat money.

Armstrong said the “jobs not done” until these tools work for everyone. He added that achieving that goal will require further technological development and policy support. His comments come as crypto firms and traditional financial companies continue to explore blockchain-based settlement, tokenized assets, and stablecoin payments.

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