Coinbase Sets Ambitious Goal to Become the World’s No.1 Financial Services App in 10 Years

Coinbase, the leading U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, is setting its sights on a bold future: to become the world’s top financial services app within the next 5 to 10 years, according to CEO Brian Armstrong.

During the company’s latest quarterly earnings call, Armstrong emphasized that Coinbase is no longer just a crypto exchange. The long-term vision is to lead the financial world across key customer segments: retail users, small and medium-sized businesses, large institutions, and developers.

Is Crypto Set to Disrupt Traditional Finance?

According to Armstrong, the rise of blockchain and digital assets is fundamentally reshaping the financial system. “We believe that crypto is eating financial services – and we are the number one crypto company,” he said. Traditional asset classes such as money market funds, real estate, securities, and debt are all moving on-chain, transforming how value is stored and transferred.

Expanding Beyond Trading

While Coinbase started as a crypto trading platform, its ecosystem has evolved significantly. The company now offers:

Stablecoin-based payments

Staking and rewards products

Institutional-grade custody services

Partnerships with over 200 institutional clients, including BlackRock, Stripe, and PayPal

Recent regulatory developments have also boosted institutional adoption. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has joined the Federal Reserve and FDIC in relaxing previous crypto restrictions, allowing U.S. banks to engage with digital assets more freely.

Stablecoins: The New Growth Engine

Stablecoins have become Coinbase’s second-largest revenue driver after trading. In Q1, revenue tied to stablecoins surged 50% year-over-year. Coinbase is a co-founder of USDC, one of the most widely used stablecoins, and maintains a 50/50 revenue-sharing agreement with its issuer, Circle.

“Our stretch goal is to make USDC the number one stablecoin globally,” Armstrong stated.

Powering the Infrastructure of Future Finance

While some banks have shown interest in launching their own stablecoins, Armstrong argues that such efforts may struggle without broader network effects. “Stablecoins benefit from interoperability. You want to be able to settle payments across institutions efficiently,” he said.

Rather than compete with banks, Coinbase sees itself as a technology partner helping them transition into the crypto age — whether through custody solutions or integrating existing stablecoins like USDC.

Conclusion

Coinbase isn’t just changing how people trade crypto — it’s aiming to reshape global finance. With strong institutional backing, a diversified product ecosystem, and increasing regulatory clarity, Coinbase is positioning itself to become the go-to financial superapp of the digital era.

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