Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has revealed that he drew inspiration from two world leaders—former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew—when making one of the most controversial decisions of his career: banning political discussions at his crypto exchange in 2020.

Speaking on an episode of Jack Altman’s Uncapped podcast, Armstrong said he turned to history as he wrestled with how to present the decision to Coinbase employees at a time when the United States was in turmoil following the killing of George Floyd. Nationwide protests against police brutality had spilled into corporate boardrooms, with many companies encouraging staff to engage in political dialogue. Armstrong, however, took the opposite path.

He said he looked to Reagan’s defining moment in 1981, when the then-president fired more than 11,000 striking air traffic controllers in a move that was widely criticized but later seen as a demonstration of firm leadership.

“I watched a couple of speeches, actually, in the run-up to that, which gave me a little bit of confidence,” Armstrong said.

He also pointed to Lee Kuan Yew’s stance during labor unrest at Singapore Airlines in the 1980s, recalling how the leader told the pilots’ union that Singapore’s survival required toughness.

“Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him, or give it up,” Lee once said. Armstrong suggested that such examples gave him the resolve to follow through on his own controversial policy.

When he finally addressed Coinbase staff, Armstrong admitted it was far from easy.

“I remember getting in front of the company, and my voice was cracking and my leg was shaking, and I almost couldn’t get through it, presenting it to the company,” he said. “But ultimately it turned out to be one of the best things we ever did.”

In September 2020, Armstrong publicly explained that political debates were a “distraction” and that the company could not risk internal strife at a time when it was scaling rapidly. He cited Google and Facebook as cautionary tales, saying their productivity had been undermined by internal divisions.

“We’ve seen what internal strife at companies like Google and Facebook can do to productivity, and there are many smaller companies who have had their own challenges here,” Armstrong wrote at the time. “I believe most employees don’t want to work in these divisive environments.”

The decision triggered strong backlash across Silicon Valley. Then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey questioned how a crypto company, built on ideals of decentralization and freedom, could ban political discussion. Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo went further, writing on X (then Twitter): “This isn’t great leadership. It’s the abdication of leadership. It’s the equivalent of telling your employees to ‘shut up and dribble.’”

Despite the criticism, Armstrong pressed ahead, offering exit packages to employees who disagreed. About 60 workers—roughly 5% of Coinbase’s workforce at the time—chose to leave.

Looking back five years later, Armstrong framed the decision as a defining test of leadership.

“If you’re in a position of leadership, it will occasionally become necessary for you to do something really difficult, which will piss off some large group of people, but it’s the right thing to do for the company,” he said.

“And so these moments present themselves to you. And when I did it, I had no idea I would be talking about it five years later.”

Binance Futures launched the USELESSUSDT perpetual contract on August 15, 2025, at 12:15 UTC, offering up to 50x leverage. The listing led to a 6% surge in the USELESS price, reflecting strong market interest and increased trading activity.

USELESS, a meme token from the LetsBonk ecosystem, also saw over $311K in short liquidations, becoming the hourly liquidation leader. The token, already on Binance Alpha and Binance.US, rallied to a one-week high of $0.31.

Perpetual futures allow traders to speculate on price movements without owning the asset, attracting both retail and institutional investors. This amplifies trading opportunities and market exposure for USELESS, a low-cap memecoin from the LetsBonk ecosystem.

The listing reinforces the memecoin market’s characteristic volatility. USELESS, like other memecoins such as The AI Prophecy (ACT) and Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT), saw rapid price spikes post-listing, with some tokens surging over 200–1,000% in 2024.

The high leverage (50x) offered by Binance Futures can exacerbate price swings, as seen with the $316.65K in short liquidations for USELESS, creating short squeezes and rapid rallies. This volatility attracts speculative traders but poses risks for retail investors unprepared for sudden dumps.

USELESS, marketed as a “pointless” memecoin with no utility, thrives on community engagement and social media hype, a common trait among Solana-based memecoins. Its listing on Binance, a major exchange, validates its community-driven model and draws attention to the LetsBonk ecosystem, potentially fueling further speculative interest.

However, this reliance on sentiment makes memecoins like USELESS vulnerable to pump-and-dump schemes, as critics have alleged with Binance’s 2024 memecoin listings, where 80% of listed tokens saw significant post-listing surges.

Binance’s listing of low-cap memecoins like USELESS has sparked accusations of enabling pump-and-dump schemes that favor insiders. Critics, including Leonidas from Ord.io, argue that Binance targets low-cap tokens controlled by a few holders, allowing them to pay high listing fees and profit from rapid exits, harming retail investors.

The lack of transparency in Binance’s listing process and fees fuels skepticism, with calls for stricter criteria to protect investors from manipulative practices. Binance’s focus on memecoins, with 60% of its 2024 listings on Solana, reflects a shift toward prioritizing community support and popularity over traditional metrics like utility or market cap.

Impact of Memecoin Market Volatility on Crypto Accessibility

Memecoins like USELESS, with low initial prices (starting at $0.012 in May 2025), make crypto accessible to retail investors with limited capital. The low-cost, high-throughput Solana blockchain further reduces transaction fees, enabling broader participation compared to high-fee networks like Ethereum.

Memecoins’ lack of complex utility (e.g., USELESS’s “pointless” branding) appeals to newcomers who may find DeFi or utility-driven tokens intimidating. Their humor and community focus create an approachable entry point into crypto. The volatility of memecoins, exemplified by USELESS’s 2,175% year-to-date gain and post-listing surges, attracts speculative traders seeking quick profits.

High-profile listings on Binance amplify visibility, drawing in new users who view crypto as a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. This speculative allure can onboard users who might not otherwise engage with crypto, as seen with tokens like PNUT, which gained traction via viral narratives (e.g., Elon Musk’s endorsement).

The SEC’s view of memecoins as distinct from unregistered securities provides regulatory leeway, making them a safer entry point for retail investors wary of legal risks. However, ongoing scrutiny of Binance’s listing practices could lead to stricter regulations, potentially limiting accessibility if compliance costs rise.

While memecoins lower barriers for retail investors and attract new users through speculative appeal, they also expose participants to manipulation and losses, potentially undermining trust. For sustained accessibility, the crypto industry must balance memecoin-driven onboarding with transparent practices and investor protections to ensure long-term adoption without sacrificing market stability.

Hyperliquid Achieving a Record-Breaking Goal and Surpassing Circle in 24-hour Revenue Shows DeFi’s Resilience in the Crypto Market

Hyperliquid, a decentralized derivatives exchange, surpassed Circle in 24-hour revenue on August 15, 2025, in daily fees.

This milestone coincided with Hyperliquid achieving a record-breaking $29 billion in 24-hour trading volume, marking an all-time high for the platform. The surge in activity reflects growing user engagement and demand for on-chain derivatives trading.

Hyperliquid’s native token, HYPE, traded at $48.23, up 2% that day, with bullish momentum supported by strong on-chain metrics and institutional interest, including custody support from Anchorage Digital Bank. Hyperliquid surpassing Circle, a centralized stablecoin issuer, in daily fees highlights the growing competitiveness of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms.

It signals a shift in user preference toward on-chain derivatives trading, which offers transparency, lower counterparty risk, and permissionless access compared to centralized alternatives. Hyperliquid’s record-breaking $29 billion in 24-hour trading volume and $7.7 million in fees on August 15, 2025, reflect maturing DeFi infrastructure.

Platforms like Hyperliquid are now capable of handling institutional-grade volumes, challenging traditional finance’s grip on derivatives markets. Support from institutions like Anchorage Digital Bank for Hyperliquid’s HYPE token indicates growing confidence in DeFi’s scalability and regulatory potential. This could attract more institutional capital, further boosting liquidity and innovation.

Hyperliquid’s fee generation underscores the profitability of DeFi protocols. Unlike centralized entities like Circle, which rely on stablecoin issuance and reserve management, DeFi platforms generate revenue directly from user activity, creating sustainable economic models.

Circle’s stablecoin dominance (USDC) faces indirect pressure as DeFi platforms capture more trading volume and fees. If DeFi continues to scale, centralized players may need to innovate or integrate with decentralized systems to stay relevant.

How DeFi Growth is Accelerating

Layer-2 solutions and cross-chain interoperability (e.g., Arbitrum, where Hyperliquid operates) have reduced transaction costs and improved scalability. This enables DeFi platforms to handle high-frequency trading and complex derivatives, attracting both retail and institutional users.

DeFi’s user base is expanding due to its accessibility and yield opportunities. Hyperliquid’s 24-hour volume spike to $29 billion reflects growing retail and whale activity, driven by the allure of high leverage (up to 50x) and transparent markets.

DeFi’s total value locked (TVL) across protocols has been climbing, with estimates suggesting over $100 billion in 2025. Capital is flowing into yield-generating platforms, perpetual futures, and lending protocols, fueled by high returns and low barriers to entry.

While regulatory hurdles persist, jurisdictions like Singapore and the EU are crafting frameworks that legitimize DeFi. This reduces uncertainty, encouraging developers and investors to commit to the ecosystem. DeFi is expanding beyond simple swaps and lending.

Platforms like Hyperliquid offer sophisticated instruments like perpetual futures and options, rivaling centralized exchanges. This attracts traders seeking advanced strategies without custodial risks. Decentralized governance models empower users to shape protocols, fostering loyalty and innovation.

Hyperliquid’s community-driven approach, coupled with its native token HYPE’s 2% price increase on August 15, 2025, exemplifies this trend. Despite L2 advancements, network congestion and gas spikes during high volatility could hinder user experience. Global crackdowns on DeFi (e.g., potential U.S. restrictions) could slow growth if not navigated carefully.

Hacks and exploits remain a risk, with DeFi losses historically exceeding $1 billion annually. Hyperliquid’s feat is a microcosm of DeFi’s accelerating growth, driven by technological innovation, user adoption, and institutional interest. As DeFi platforms capture more market share from centralized finance, they reshape the financial landscape, though scalability and regulatory challenges must be addressed to sustain this momentum.