Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong dismissed reports that tensions with the White House could derail the CLARITY Act, rejecting claims that the administration is preparing to withdraw support for the bill structuring the cryptocurrency market.
Most important key points:
- Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong denied reports of discord in the White House and said support for the CLARITY Act remains.
- Coinbase withdrew its support for the bill, fearing it would harm decentralized finance, tokenized stocks, and stable coin returns.
- Lawmakers have postponed discussion of the bill as divisions deepen within the industry over its impact on innovation and consumers.
In a recent article on X, Armstrong said the White House has remained engaged and constructive despite recent disagreements over the direction of the legislation.
He noted that administration officials have encouraged Coinbase to explore possible compromises with banks, with discussions still ongoing, he said.
Armstrong denies claims of conflict with White House
“The White House has been very constructive here,” Armstrong wrote on X, dismissing speculation of a fault in relations.
These comments followed a report by journalist Eleanor Terrett in which she claimed there was a rift between Coinbase and Donald Trump’s administration, suggesting officials were unhappy with Coinbase’s decision to opt out of the bill.
Coinbase withdrew its support earlier this week, arguing that the latest CLARITY bill could undermine decentralized finance, restrict tokenized stock trading and prevent companies from sharing stablecoin revenue with users.
Armstrong said the exchange would prefer to postpone the bill rather than pass it in its current form.
Calling many provisions harmful to consumers and innovation, he called the bill “disastrous” and expressed hope that lawmakers and the industry could reach a more workable compromise.
Coinbase has circulated a list of objections to the latest version of the bill, focusing on its impact on decentralized finance and stablecoin-based products.
In general, I love your posts, but this is not accurate. The White House has been extremely constructive here.
They asked us to see if we could reach an agreement with the banks, which we are currently working on.
In fact, we’ve cooked up some great ideas on how we can help… https://t.co/t1bK48oRc0–Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) January 17, 2026
These concerns prompted the U.S. Senate Banking Committee to postpone a planned hearing to review and amend (mark up) the CLARITY Act, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate the changes with industry stakeholders.
Armstrong said he expects a revised version of the bill to come back for review in the coming weeks.
The debate revealed divisions within the cryptocurrency sector itself. Some executives see the Clarity Act as providing long-awaited regulatory clarity, albeit with some concessions, while others see it as a concession to the interests of traditional banks.
The sharpest divide is over stable revenues, with critics warning that banning revenue sharing could stifle competition and limit consumer choice.
Cryptocurrency regulation becomes a political issue
The past week has highlighted how cryptocurrency regulation has moved from technical rulemaking to a broader political struggle around institutional independence, enforcement power and oversight.
From central bank pressures to legislative gridlock, the policy environment around digital assets remains volatile and increasingly shaped by political dynamics.
This tension increased after Jerome Powell publicly warned that a Justice Department investigation related to his testimony before Congress could undermine the independence of the Fed.
Meanwhile, momentum on federal cryptocurrency legislation has slowed as the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee postponed discussion of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act amid unresolved disputes over decentralized finance, stable coin yield and regulatory jurisdiction.
Concerns deepened after Galaxy Digital warned that a Senate banking bill could give the Treasury Department sweeping “Patriot Act”-style powers, raising fears that aggressive surveillance powers could stifle innovation and push cryptocurrency activity overseas.
Coinbase CEO denies disagreement with White House, confirms continued support for Clarity Act appeared first on Cryptonews Arabic.
