#famous_people

Brian Armstrong – Coinbase and the Mainstreaming of Crypto**

Brian Armstrong, a former Airbnb engineer, co-founded **Coinbase** in 2012 to make Bitcoin accessible to ordinary people. Unlike early crypto anarchists, Armstrong focused on **regulatory compliance**, securing licenses and banking partnerships.

Coinbase grew steadily, reaching **56 million users** by 2021. Its **2021 IPO** (NASDAQ: COIN) was a landmark, valuing the company at $86 billion. Armstrong’s 19% stake briefly made him worth over $15 billion.

Despite crypto winters, Armstrong kept Coinbase profitable by diversifying into staking and institutional services. He also clashed with employees over **apolitical workplace policies**, arguing crypto should transcend politics.