Coinbase CEO lists 8 areas for financial system upgrades

Coinbase chief executive Brian Armstrong has outlined eight areas where he believes the global financial system still requires significant upgrades, focusing on blockchain technology, stablecoins, artificial intelligence, and regulatory reform. In a post on X posted May 24, Armstrong said the work is not complete until these systems serve more users, adding that the effort will require substantial technological innovation and policy work.

Armstrong placed tokenization of real world assets at the top of his list. He argued that real estate, stocks, bonds, and funds should be moved onto blockchain networks to enable instant settlement, fractional ownership, and wider distribution to global investors. The tokenized asset market has grown substantially in recent years, with major financial institutions exploring blockchain based settlement and tokenized products.

The second priority on Armstrong’s list was 24/7 global trading with pooled liquidity, broader asset access, and improved capital efficiency. He said current stock and bond markets remain limited by traditional hours and settlement delays.

Armstrong highlighted stablecoin payments as the third area needing modernization,...