Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the trade can’t help the Senate Banking Committee’s newest draft of the CLARITY Act, warning that the invoice, as written, would depart the U.S. crypto business worse off than the present regulatory establishment.
In a publish on X, Armstrong cited a number of considerations, together with what he described as a de facto ban on tokenized equities, new restrictions on decentralized finance that would grant the federal government broad entry to customers’ monetary information, and provisions that weaken the Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee whereas increasing the Securities and Trade Fee’s authority.
“After reviewing the Senate Banking draft textual content over the past 48hrs, Coinbase sadly can’t help the invoice as written,” Armstrong posted.
He additionally criticized draft amendments that will remove rewards on stablecoins, arguing they might permit banks to suppress rising rivals.
“We’d reasonably don’t have any invoice than a foul invoice,” Armstrong mentioned on X, including that Coinbase would proceed pushing for a framework that treats crypto on a degree taking part in subject with conventional monetary providers.
The feedback come a day earlier than the Senate Banking Committee is expected to mark up the CLARITY Act on Thursday, January 15.
The laws is making an attempt to make clear U.S. digital asset market construction by defining classes resembling digital commodities, funding contracts, and cost stablecoins, whereas dividing oversight between the SEC and CFTC.
Coinbase’ points with stablecoin rewards
Stablecoin rewards have emerged as a flashpoint in negotiations. Coinbase had reportedly warned lawmakers it might withdraw help for the invoice if it restricts yield packages tied to stablecoins like USD Coin.
Coinbase shares in curiosity revenue generated from USDC reserves and makes use of a part of that income to supply incentives to customers, together with rewards of roughly 3.5% for Coinbase One prospects.
Stablecoin-related income may have reached $1.3 billion in 2025, making the difficulty central to Coinbase’s enterprise mannequin.
Banking teams argue that yield-bearing stablecoins may draw deposits away from conventional banks, whereas crypto corporations counter that banning rewards would stifle innovation and push customers towards offshore platforms.
“I’m really fairly optimistic that we’ll get to the proper final result with continued effort,” Armstrong later posted on X. “We are going to hold displaying up and dealing with everybody to get there.”
Michael Saylor, govt chairman of Technique, retweeted Armstrong’s publish, displaying his personal help with the choice.
