Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has highlighted cryptocurrency’s growing role in expanding financial access globally, arguing that the industry has not received enough credit for the opportunities it has created.
According to Armstrong, crypto has helped break down traditional financial barriers by giving more people access to digital payments, global markets and financial services, particularly in regions underserved by conventional banking systems.
In a post on X, he wrote,
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“Crypto doesn’t get enough credit for the financial access it’s already unlocked for the world. Stablecoins brought the dollar onchain. Anyone, anywhere can own a low-inflation currency, and send it 24/7 for a fraction of a cent. DeFi gives anyone access to credit. Tokenized stocks let 4B unbrokered people get exposure to the US stock market. Bitcoin gives a store of wealth that can’t be inflated away.”
According to Armstrong, rather than viewing crypto primarily as a speculative asset, he highlights its growing role in making financial services more accessible, particularly for people who have limited access to traditional banking and investment systems.
One of Bitcoin’s potential contributions to financial access is cross-border payments. Users can transfer Bitcoin directly to one another across countries without relying entirely on traditional banking intermediaries. This is particularly relevant in regions where international transfers are expensive, slow, or difficult to access.
More broadly, Bitcoin expands the range of financial tools available to people who may be underserved by traditional institutions. The World Bank estimates that 1.3 billion adults globally still lack access to financial accounts, highlighting the continuing need for accessible digital financial services.
Coinbase CEO also points to stablecoins, noting that they have effectively brought the U.S. dollar onto blockchain networks. Through stablecoins, people can hold a dollar-pegged digital asset and send money globally around the clock, potentially at significantly lower costs than traditional payment systems.
Beyond storing value, stablecoins make it possible to transfer money across borders at any time. Unlike traditional banking systems, which may be limited by business hours, intermediaries and settlement delays, blockchain-based transfers can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This means someone can send a dollar-pegged digital asset to another person in a different country within minutes, often at relatively low cost
Also, Armstrong highlights decentralized finance (DeFi), which he believes can expand access to credit by allowing people to participate in lending and borrowing without relying entirely on traditional financial institutions.
Decentralized finance protocols open access to credit without traditional bank approvals or credit scores. Tokenized stocks create pathways for people without brokerage accounts to gain exposure to U.S. markets.
Financial tools that once required bank accounts, credit scores, or local brokerage access are becoming available to a much wider population through crypto.
At the same time, tokenized stocks open pathways for individuals who lack conventional brokerage relationships to gain exposure to U.S. equities. Alongside these tools, DeFi platforms expand credit access and Bitcoin provides an inflation-resistant store of value.
Outlook
As the global financial system continues to evolve, cryptocurrency is increasingly being positioned as more than a speculative asset.
Bitcoin, stablecoins, DeFi and tokenized assets are creating new pathways for people to access payments, savings, credit and investment opportunities that have traditionally depended on banks and other financial intermediaries.
While challenges around regulation, security, volatility, infrastructure and digital literacy remain, the growing use of blockchain-based financial tools demonstrates the potential of crypto to address some of the longstanding barriers to financial inclusion.
For billions of people who remain underserved by traditional financial institutions, the ability to hold digital dollars, transfer money across borders, access decentralized financial services or gain exposure to global markets could represent a significant expansion of financial choice.