Coinbase (Coin) co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong said in an interview Friday that Coinbase’s long-term goal is to become a financial “super app” that provides crypto along with a wide range of financial services outside of traditional banking.
Speaking about Fox Business’s “Claman Countdown,” Armstrong told Liz Kraman that he had the strongest momentum he’d seen in Congress. A move to increase Coinbase’s momentum towards building a super app.
He explained how his company wanted to approach build-outs during the interview.
Coinbase will integrate services that people usually get from banks and fintechs and offer on crypto rails. He pointed out the recently launched Coinbase credit card, which pays 4% for Bitcoin as an early example, and the swipe fee of 2% to 3% on the card network shows why payments need to be overhauled.
The long-term goal, he said, is a comprehensive application that handles not only trading, but spending, savings, payments and investments.
Armstrong explicitly made it clear that “we want to be people’s bank exchanges, our main financial accounts,” adding that Coinbase aims to “provide all kinds of financial services” as well as Crypto. He agreed with the framing that this would amount to becoming a super app, and said Crypto Rails would make it doable by offering faster and cheaper settlements.
Washington and major banks
According to Armstrong, the road to the super app starts with lawmakers.
He pointed to the recent passing of the “genius law,” which established the rules for stubcoin, and another market structure bill being debated in the Senate that defines how tokens like Bitcoin and ether are regulated.
“This freight train has left the station,” Armstrong said, explaining the growing bipartisan interest in putting clear rules in the book. He argued that clarity could resolve longstanding conflicts with regulators under previous administrations, which often treated crypto tokens as unregistered securities.
But despite historic pushes to help lawmakers set regulatory frameworks, the final hurdle must be cleared: lobbying by major banks.
Some agencies have tried to limit Stablecoins’ compensation programs, claiming they would undermine traditional payments businesses. Armstrong dismissed these concerns, saying that cryptocurrency rewards are no different to airline miles and credit card points.
“American consumers want to make more money with their own money, and that should be completely forgiven,” he said.
While he criticised the lobbying efforts to block competition, Armstrong also emphasized that Coinbase will partner and partner with major banks such as JPMorgan and PNC to provide custody and payment services, indicating that some of the sectors are adopting crypto rails.
Go ahead of your rivals
Building a super app is a monumental task that has gained momentum, but Coinbase needs to look at rivals that may be fighting for market share.
But Armstrong isn’t worried. Rather, he welcomes the competition.
With new exchanges, including platforms launched by Gemini and others, entering the US market, Armstrong said Coinbase would benefit from Head Start. He argued that thriving ecosystems are essential for mainstream adoption, and that Coinbase’s benefits come from trust.
According to Armstrong, Coinbase currently stores more cryptography than any other provider, so it encourages customers to use a wider suite of services, from transactions to payments. He said the ambition is not only to encourage transactions, but to ultimately become a platform that people use as their “major financial account.”
Armstrong’s “Primary Account” vision was outlined at All-in Summit 2025, “Can we become your comprehensive financial platform?” According to a report by Business Insider published on September 15th, it outlined the characteristics of banks and wealth as steps towards its goals. This comparison suggests that multiple US fintechs are angled to expand beyond everyday financial transactions.
Bitcoin outlook
The interview also touched on the broader market.
Armstrong avoided short-term predictions, but said he saw a “good opportunity” when Bitcoin could reach $1 million by 2030.
He cited three major tailwinds: clarity of regulations, the creation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve in the US, and a massive influx into newly launched Bitcoin ETFs.
He likens the role of Bitcoin in his portfolio to a hybrid of gold and equity, and points out that many investors view it as both uncertainty and long-term growth assets.
