Coinbase CEO: U.S. bill could trigger global Bitcoin legalization

Brian Armstrong told investors and lawmakers that passage of a U.S. crypto market-structure bill would prompt G20 finance ministries and other major economies to legalize Bitcoin. He made the remarks as Congress negotiates legislation centered on the Clarity Act.

Armstrong said a single federal framework would replace the current mix of enforcement actions, agency disputes and court fights. He described U.S. regulatory clarity as a “bellwether for the G20.”

The legislative talks in Washington focus on the Clarity Act and related provisions. Lawmakers are debating rules for stablecoin issuance and use, protections for software developers who build decentralized applications, and market-structure measures aimed at increasing oversight of trading platforms. Armstrong acknowledged the drafting process has required compromises, including concessions to banking interests and some Senate negotiators on how stablecoin activity will be regulated.

Coinbase expects legal certainty to open lines of business beyond trading, including payments, tokenization of real-world assets and prediction markets. Company executives say clearer rules would lower legal risk and encourage institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds to consider allocating capital to crypto markets.

Armstrong projected a long-term bullish outlook for Bitcoin, citing the asset’s fixed supply and rising demand. He projected Bitcoin “could reach $1 million by 2030.”

Market participants say the current U.S. approach, which mixes enforcement actions, overlapping regulatory claims and case-by-case litigation, creates uncertainty that deters large-scale investment. Supporters of a federal market-structure bill argue it would establish clear compliance pathways, reduce legal exposure for firms and make it easier for foreign regulators to adopt similar frameworks.

Negotiations in Congress are ongoing. Lawmakers face competing concerns from banks, consumer protection advocates and crypto companies, and the final content of any bill remains uncertain.