- Trump’s crypto agenda takes center stage at WEF, sparking widespread discussion across industries, says Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.
- Davos conversations focused on how world leaders can adapt to crypto, with the US government’s potential Strategic Bitcoin Reserve a key topic.
- Coinbase CEO highlights rising interest in crypto, as global leaders and companies embrace it for economic freedom and competitive advantage.
Cryptocurrencies are a phenomenon that emerged as one of the most significant topics of the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said that discussions about Trump’s plans for cryptocurrency took center stage, not only among the founders of digital assets companies but throughout the financial world. He stated, “President Trump is forcing everyone to up their game”.
Trump’s Crypto Agenda
Armstrong explained that virtually every meeting he had with politicians and executives of big companies during the forum in Davos revolved around the topic of how the US government would approach digital currencies. He pointed out that such interest was primarily spurred by Trump’s agenda such as the establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Armstrong noted that numerous executives seek to know how they can escape the ‘crypto adoption Race’.
He pointed out that people are now talking about crypto and AI more often. According to Armstrong, this is an indicator of the increasing focus on economic liberty as the world turns to digital assets. He said that more and more world leaders are realizing that the use of the digital assets can open up new opportunities and liberation for their countries.
Armstrong also shared his thoughts about his part in introducing free market capitalist thinking into Davos. He pitted this against other ideas that continued with the model of centralized governance or socialist ideas like “stakeholder capitalism.” Armstrong points out that such concepts may hinder the process further.
From his perspective, crypto is a way towards more freedom in the economic sphere. He also mentioned that Coinbase could meet more than 50 world leaders and business owners and explain how Coinbase is able to assist in introducing the digital assets to their country or company.
Source: Brian Armstrong
Emerging Markets Embrace Crypto
Armstrong noted that the heads of emerging markets have already realized the potential of digital assets as agents of economic liberation. He recalled Argentina’s President Javier Milei, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, and other future leaders of Canada and Germany. These leaders realise that free markets are the way to prosperity and know that digital asset is a big part of that. Armstrong pointed out that such a turn from socialism to economic freedom offers nations an opportunity to form a coalition for supporting digital assets.
Armstrong also mentioned that more and more companies are now showing their interest in the area of crypto currency. Banking institutions, asset management companies, and payment services providers are investings heavily in digital assets. According to Armstrong, this will open up more competition in the digital assets space. He said that Coinbase would be able to grab a significant market of the global bull run.