Coinbase Threatens Offshore Shift If Crypto Bill Fails

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has warned that part of the company's business could exit the United States if a comprehensive crypto bill stalls in Washington. In an interview on Capitol Hill, Armstrong emphasized the need for regulatory certainty to 'survive across administrations.'

The bill aims to define when a digital asset is a commodity versus a security and which regulator writes the rules. Without statutory clarity, capital, business activity, and users are moving outside the U.S. regulatory perimeter.

Coinbase has already secured licenses in multiple offshore centers and launched an international exchange in Bermuda. Armstrong noted that institutional services and new product lines can be operated offshore with lighter legal overhead.