Brian Armstrong Rejects Claims Coinbase Lobbied Against Bitcoin De Minimis Tax Exemption

On March 11, 2026, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad publicly rejected allegations that the exchange lobbied against a proposed de minimis tax exemption for Bitcoin to favor USDC. Critics claimed Coinbase wanted the tax break to apply only to regulated dollar-pegged stablecoins, despite the company generating an estimated $1.35 billion in stablecoin revenue in 2025. Armstrong insisted he has actively supported a Bitcoin de minimis exemption and vowed to continue those lobbying efforts.