Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong responds to SEC lawsuit; says Gensler’s views ‘not representative’ of US government News ▸ Coinbase ▸ Regulation
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong responds to SEC lawsuit; says Gensler’s views ‘not representative’ of US government
The Coinbase CEO insisted that Gensler's views do not reflect those of other in government.
1 min read
Updated: Jul. 9, 2023 at 3:53 pm UTC
TechCrunch / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia. Remixed by CryptoSlate
Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, defended his firm’s position and the broader cryptocurrency sector in a Bloomberg Live interview today.
Armstrong’s remarks come in response to a recent lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and as the U.S. government escalates its clampdown on Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
Armstrong made it clear that SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s view that most crypto assets are securities is not representative of the American government’s overall perspective.
“I want to make an important point, which is that the SEC chair may have a certain point of view, but that’s not representative of the whole U.S. government,” Armstrong said, contending that Gensler’s stance is “really an outlier” among government figures he had spoken with:
“When I meet with members of Congress, I think the broad consensus probably amongst 80% of people I talked to both sides of the aisle…is we don’t know exactly what this technology is going to become.”
Armstong further argued that while the future of the technology is still uncertain, the need for clear legislation is critical, particularly given the progress being made by major financial hubs worldwide.
Armstrong also emphasized the importance of consumer protection and the application of “some basic good ideas around AML/KYC and audited financial statements” in the cryptocurrency industry.
The CEO stressed the need for a clear market structure so businesses can better understand the regulatory environment and which agencies they should engage with concerning specific types of assets.
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Jacob Oliver
Jacob Oliver is a recovering academic and English teacher turned crypto journalist and web3 writer. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Washington.
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Coinbase
Coinbase is a digital currency exchange and wallet service that allows individuals to buy, sell, and store digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
Brian Armstrong, co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, stands at the forefront of the digital currency revolution.