Brian Armstrong

In 2012, Brian Armstrong founded Coinbase as part of the crypto movement’s rebellion against the existing financial powers of Wall Street and Washington, D.C. Today, Armstrong’s onetime startup is a public company and the flagship brand of a rapidly maturing crypto industry. Meanwhile, Armstrong has begun wielding power in other arenas, pouring over $50 million (a mix of his own money and Coinbase’s) into efforts aimed at pressuring lawmakers to write more favorable crypto rules. He is plugged into Silicon Valley’s most powerful networks and has embraced one of its latest trends—investing millions into longevity startups. Armstrong, who got married in October 2024, remains committed to his original vision of using blockchain technology to create a new economic and social order.