Why is Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in a battle with regulators?

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is in a battle with regulators after the SEC sued his company Tuesday. He sat down with The Wall Street Journal to discuss the situation, saying he is hoping the lawsuit will bring more clarity to the industry. Photo: Breanna Denney/The Wall Street Journal Brian Armstrong is on a collision course with regulators.

Who is Brian Armstrong?

Brian Armstrong (born January 25, 1983) is an American business executive, billionaire and investor who is CEO of cryptocurrency platform Coinbase. He received media attention for his policy of keeping the workplace free of political activism.

Who founded Coinbase?

In 2012, Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam co-founded Coinbase, as a way for cryptocurrency enthusiasts to trade bitcoins and other digital currencies. Armstrong was its first CEO. A 2018 funding round valued the company at $8.1 billion, and in December 2020, the company filed with the SEC to go public through a direct listing.

Who is Brian McMahon & how did he start Coinbase?

Before co-founding Coinbase, Brian worked as a Software Engineer at Airbnb. He holds three degrees from Rice University: Bachelor’s of Computer Science, Bachelor’s of Economics, and a Master’s of Computer Science.