Coinbase CEO Makes Bold Crypto Prediction Under Trump Administration

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes the U.S. is entering a transformative phase for cryptocurrency, calling it the “dawn of a new era for crypto.” He also forecasted that by 2030, as much as 10% of global GDP could be crypto-based. “Up to 10% of global GDP could be running on crypto rails by the end of this decade,” Armstrong stated during Coinbase’s fourth-quarter 2024 earnings call on Feb. 13. He likened today’s crypto adoption to the early 2000s when businesses had to adapt to the internet. “Onchain is the new online,” he said. If his prediction holds, it would mean more than $10 trillion worth of assets would be tokenized or onchain, given the World Bank’s estimate of over $100 trillion in global GDP. Armstrong emphasized Coinbase’s role in this shift, telling investors: “Coinbase is going to be the preferred partner to come in and build this for many of the companies out there.” The company reported $2.3 billion in Q4 revenue, marking an 88% increase quarter-over-quarter. He also highlighted the U.S.’s role in shaping crypto’s future, noting that “President Trump is moving fast to fulfill his promise of making the US the crypto capital of the planet.” Armstrong further pointed out that the U.S. now has its “most pro-crypto Congress,” which is advancing stablecoin and market structure legislation that could influence global adoption. “Given the US leadership here, the rest of the world is taking notice and will be under pressure to embrace crypto adoption,” he said. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller recently advocated for stablecoin regulations that would allow banks to issue dollar-pegged digital assets. Looking ahead, Armstrong said Coinbase’s focus will be on “growing revenue with our existing products” while driving utility in emerging crypto sectors and building the foundation for long-term growth.