Brian Armstrong — Board Member Accountability Profile
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Brian Armstrong — Board Member Accountability Profile

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Brian Armstrong — Board Member Accountability Profile

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Category: Private Citizen — Corporate Executive Director Role: Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman, Coinbase Global Inc. Board Tenure: 2012 (May) – present Committee Memberships: None (as executive chairman) Profile Type: Board Member Accountability — Anchor B (Documented Organizational Leadership)

> Basis for Inclusion: Brian Armstrong is the co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of Coinbase Global Inc. Coinbase Global Inc. is the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange and made documented political donations to Trump-aligned entities. Coinbase’s business is critically affected by SEC and CFTC crypto regulation, which the Trump administration has actively shaped in ways favorable to the industry through regulatory appointments and executive orders. This profile documents the factual governance relationship, not the subject’s personal political views.

> Subject Classification: Private Citizen / Corporate Executive Director. Board membership and executive role are matters of public record.

> What is NOT the basis for inclusion: Personal political opinions, party affiliation, or protected speech are NOT the basis for inclusion.

Biographical Overview

Brian Armstrong co-founded Coinbase in 2012, building it into the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange and the first major crypto company to complete a public market listing on a U.S. exchange (Nasdaq, April 2021). Before founding Coinbase, he worked as a software engineer at Airbnb and earlier founded UniversityTutor.com, an online tutoring marketplace. Armstrong holds degrees in computer science and economics from Rice University. As CEO and Chairman, he is the principal decision-maker for Coinbase’s strategic direction, including its government relations and political engagement, making him the individual most directly accountable for Coinbase’s documented political spending and regulatory lobbying strategy. Armstrong has been a prominent and vocal advocate for cryptocurrency-friendly federal regulation and has engaged directly with members of Congress and federal regulators.

Board Role and Governance Authority

  • Company: Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN)
  • Board tenure: May 2012 – present (founder; CEO since founding)
  • Committee assignments: None (management director)
  • Note: As co-founder, CEO, and Chairman, Armstrong holds ultimate governance and executive authority at Coinbase, including over political spending and regulatory strategy.

Other Current Board Memberships (if applicable)

Not separately disclosed in the 2025 DEF 14A proxy beyond Coinbase service.

Parent Corporate Donor Profile

This profile is a governance-accountability companion to the Coinbase Global corporate donor profile.

Sources

  • Coinbase Global Inc. DEF 14A Proxy Statement, filed April 25, 2025; SEC EDGAR (CIK 1679788)
  • SEC EDGAR filing: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1679788/000167978825000070/coin-20250425.htm
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