Coinbase CEO Davos Summary: Banking Sector Sees Crypto as 'Top Priority,' Tokenization One of the Most Discussed Trends

Jan. 25 — Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong disclosed that during his time at the World Economic Forum in Davos, a senior executive from a top 10 global bank told him cryptocurrency has become the bank’s “number one priority” and is even viewed as “existential.” While not naming the bank or executive, Armstrong stressed that many financial leaders he interacted with at the week-long event are not only open to crypto but actively seeking ways to enter the space. “The vast majority are actually very supportive of crypto and see it as a major opportunity,” he said. Armstrong noted tokenization was one of the most discussed trends at Davos, with applications expanding from stablecoins to equities, credit, and other financial products. He specifically cited the roughly 4 billion “unbrokered” adults worldwide who lack quality investment channels, arguing tokenization technology is positioned to bridge this gap — “expecting significant progress in this area by 2026.” He also pointed out that artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency were the two most debated technologies at the forum. Though AI’s rise in capital markets has diverted attention from crypto, he emphasized the two are closely intertwined. “Future AI agents will likely default to using stablecoins for payments, completely bypassing traditional identity verification and banking restrictions,” he said. “The infrastructure already exists, and usage is growing rapidly.”