Coinbase CEO Advocates Bitcoin-Only US Reserve, Suggests Crypto Index as Backup Plan

Coinbase CEO Calls for Bitcoin-Only US Reserve but Proposes Crypto Index as Plan B

Brian Armstrong, CEO of crypto exchange Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN), shared his thoughts on social media platform X on March 2 regarding President Donald Trump’s proposed crypto strategic reserve.

Armstrong expressed interest in the initiative, stating: “Excited to learn more. Still forming an opinion on asset allocation.” However, he shared his “current thinking” on the topic, proposing two options. Firstly, he said:

Just bitcoin would probably be the best option — simplest, and clear story as successor to gold.

Alternatively, he suggested: “If folks wanted more variety, you could do a market cap weighted index of crypto assets to keep it unbiased.” Despite this, he concluded, “But probably option #1 is easiest.”

Armstrong’s comments came in response to White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, who confirmed that Trump’s reserve would consist of bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies. Sacks posted on X: “President Trump has announced a crypto strategic reserve consisting of bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies. This is consistent with his week-one E.O. 14178. President Trump is keeping his promise to make the U.S. the ‘ Crypto Capital of the World.’ More to come at the Summit.”

The White House crypto czar’s statement follows Trump’s announcement on March 2, in which he revealed the reserve may include bitcoin ( BTC), ether ( ETH), XRP, solana ( SOL), and cardano ( ADA), though details remain limited.

Sacks is set to chair the White House’s first-ever crypto summit this week, where he is expected to provide more details on the reserve’s structure and goals. The event could clarify how the U.S. plans to integrate cryptocurrency into its financial framework and what this means for the broader industry. The proposed reserve indicates a potential shift in national financial policy, with implications for regulation and market adoption.