Coinbase CEO Backs US Treasury Secretary's Push to Pass CLARITY Act

Brian Armstrong says 'it's time' for the crypto legislation to pass after months of delays.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 6:52pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a stack of legal documents, a pen, and a laptop computer arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic seamless background, conceptually representing the abstract concepts of corporate strategy, finance, and regulatory compliance in the cryptocurrency industry.The cryptocurrency industry's push for regulatory clarity in the US takes a step forward as Coinbase's CEO endorses the CLARITY Act.Washington Today

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has endorsed the US Treasury Secretary's call for Congress to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act), a crypto-focused legislation that has faced delays for months. Armstrong said the current version of the bill, after negotiations between lawmakers and industry representatives, is a 'strong bill' and it's time for it to be approved.

Why it matters

The CLARITY Act is seen as crucial legislation to provide regulatory clarity for the crypto industry in the United States. Its passage has been stalled due to ongoing discussions around issues like ethics, tokenized equities, and stablecoin regulations. Armstrong's public support for the bill could help spur Congress to act on it.

The details

In a Thursday post on X (formerly Twitter), Armstrong said Coinbase agrees with recent comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging Congress to pass the CLARITY Act soon. The CEO said the current version of the legislation, after months of negotiations, is a 'strong bill' and 'it's time to pass the Clarity Act.' Armstrong's endorsement comes about three months after he said Coinbase could not support the bill 'as written,' leading to a postponement of a Senate Banking Committee markup on the legislation. Concerns over issues like ethics, tokenized equities, and stablecoin regulations have stalled progress since then, but Coinbase's legal chief said last week that lawmakers are 'very close to a deal' on the bill.

  • In January, Coinbase withdrew its support for the CLARITY Act, leading to a postponement of a Senate Banking Committee markup on the legislation.
  • In a Thursday post, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong endorsed the current version of the CLARITY Act and said 'it's time' for the bill to pass.

The players

Brian Armstrong

The CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, who has now endorsed the CLARITY Act after previously withdrawing the company's support for the legislation.

Scott Bessent

The US Treasury Secretary, who recently urged Congress in a Wall Street Journal op-ed to act on passing the CLARITY Act soon.

Paul Grewal

The chief legal officer at Coinbase, who said last week that lawmakers are 'very close to a deal' on the CLARITY Act.

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What they’re saying

“'It's time to pass the Clarity Act.'”

— Brian Armstrong, CEO, Coinbase

“'We're very close to a deal' on the CLARITY Act.”

— Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer, Coinbase

What’s next

The expected markup for the CLARITY Act in the Senate Banking Committee has not yet been scheduled, but will follow approval from the Senate Agriculture Committee in January. Both committees need to address different aspects of securities and commodities regulations before a potential vote on the bill in the full Senate chamber.

The takeaway

The passage of the CLARITY Act is seen as crucial for providing regulatory clarity for the crypto industry in the US. After months of delays and negotiations, Coinbase's CEO is now publicly backing the bill, which could help spur Congress to act on it. The relationships between crypto executives and policymakers in Washington will continue to be scrutinized as the industry seeks more favorable laws and regulations.