Coinbase CEO Denies White House Rift Amid Clarity Act Delay

In Crypto Regulations
January 18, 2026

Coinbase CEO Denies White House Rift Amid Clarity Act Delay

Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, has refuted claims that the White House is considering withdrawing its support for the Clarity Act, a bill aimed at regulating the US crypto market structure.

“[The Trump administration] has been exceptionally constructive here. They asked us to try to reach an agreement with the banks, which we are currently working on,” he added. 

On January 15, the US Senate Banking Committee postponed the review of the Clarity Act. Coinbase did not support the latest version of the document due to “too many issues,” including restrictions on operations with tokenized stocks and exchanges’ rewards to stablecoin holders.

Later, journalist Eleanor Terrett reported a conflict between Coinbase and the US administration. According to her, the White House threatened to withdraw its support for the market structure bill if the company did not resume negotiations.

Terrett’s sources claim that administration representatives were “furious” about the exchange’s actions, which they were not informed of in advance, calling the situation a “shuffle.” 

In a recent post, Armstrong reiterated the Clarity Act’s goal to “help local banks.” The Coinbase executive promised to share updates soon. 

David Sacks, the White House’s chief cryptocurrency advisor, urged the industry to use the delay to “resolve any remaining disagreements.” He added that “the adoption of market structure legislation is closer than ever to completion.”

Analysts at JPMorgan have called the bill one of the key drivers of the crypto industry in 2026. 

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Steven M. Crimmins is a cryptocurrency strategist and freelance writer who has followed the blockchain industry since Bitcoin’s early days. Known for his sharp analysis of altcoins and trading strategies, Steven provides Satoshi News Africa readers with market-focused content grounded in research. He is especially interested in how African traders are adopting crypto as an alternative to traditional markets. Steven is also a podcast host, where he discusses emerging technologies and investment trends.