Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said modern finance is still missing eight major building blocks, with tokenized real-world assets and always-open global markets at the top of the list. In a post on X, he argued that the financial system cannot be considered complete until those pieces work at scale across regions and asset classes.
Tokenized assets remain his top unresolved priority
Armstrong placed real-world asset tokenization first. He said real estate, stocks, bonds, and funds should move onchain so settlement can happen faster and ownership can be split into smaller units. The timing matches continued expansion in the sector: data from RWA.xyz showed tokenized real-world assets surpassed $37.5 billion in May 2026.
He also pointed to the lack of continuous global trading. In his view, 24/7 markets, pooled liquidity, and wider access to assets would improve capital efficiency and open participation to more regions. The point was direct. Market hours and fragmented access still shape who gets in and when capital can move.
Stablecoins and AI payments are framed as core rails
Armstrong described stablecoins as a major upgrade for the financial system, centered on low-cost and near-instant global transfers. He tied that idea to agentic payments and AI-powered transaction flows, presenting both as part of the next generation of financial infrastructure.
According to Coinbase disclosures, the company’s x402 payment protocol processed more than 75 million transactions over the past month. Coinbase also integrated x402 into Amazon Bedrock AgentCore for AI-powered payments using USDC. That gives his comments a concrete operating example, not just a policy wish list.
AI, regulation, and fundraising costs were all part of the same thesis
Beyond payments, Armstrong said AI could be used for compliance, fraud prevention, and credit analysis. He argued that these tools can improve financial decision-making while expanding access to capital and advisory services. The emphasis here was cost and reach. Services that were once expensive to deliver may become available to many more users.
Regulation was another major piece of the post. Armstrong called for a risk-based approach to oversight rather than one set of rules applied to every crypto activity. His comments came as debate over digital asset policy continues in Washington. Coinbase has publicly backed the CLARITY Act, which advanced through the Senate Banking Committee earlier this month.
Self-custody, open protocols, and sound money rounded out the list
Armstrong also highlighted self-custody wallets and open protocols as tools that could widen financial access. He said smartphones and blockchain infrastructure can reduce reliance on intermediaries. That fits closely with a long-standing crypto argument: users should be able to hold assets and interact with markets without handing full control to centralized gatekeepers.
He added capital formation as another unfinished area, calling for lower-cost systems that let startups raise money more efficiently. His final point was sound money, which he described as protection against inflation when fiat systems lose discipline. Armstrong ended the post by saying the work is still unfinished and that both technology development and policy change are still needed.