Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong challenged skepticism earlier today toward Bitcoin from the head of France’s central bank during a World Economic Forum panel in Davos.
Armstrong took a public stand on stage arguing that the asset’s lack of centralized control makes it more independent than traditional monetary authorities.
The exchange unfolded after Banque de France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau questioned Bitcoin’s credibility, saying he places more trust in independent central banks with democratic mandates than in what he described as “private issuers” of Bitcoin.
François Villeroy de Galhau said “I trust more independent central banks with a democratic mandate than private issuers of Bitcoin”.
Armstrong leaned in and hit back, saying, “bitcoin is a decentralized protocol. There’s actually no issuer of it. So in the sense that central banks have independence, Bitcoin is even more independent. There’s no country or company or individual who controls it in the world.”
“Bitcoin doesn’t have a money printer,” Armstrong said. “It’s more independent”
The discussion took place during a panel focused on tokenization at the WEF Annual Meeting, an event where conversations more commonly center on blockchain infrastructure and central bank digital currencies rather than Bitcoin itself.
Framing Bitcoin as a monetary counterweight, Armstrong argued that competition between state-issued currencies and decentralized alternatives is healthy.
He said Bitcoin’s fixed supply and lack of a “money printer” provide a check on government overspending, likening its role during periods of uncertainty to gold’s historical function.
Villeroy de Galhau maintained that trust ultimately comes from central bank independence paired with accountability to citizens.
Coinbase CEO: Bitcoin to $1,000,000
At events centered around the conference, Armstrong also reiterated his long-held prediction that BTC could reach $1 million by 2030, arguing that its fixed 21 million supply and rising global demand matter more than short-term volatility, even as prices hovered near $89,000 and the broader crypto market lost $160 billion in a day.
Speaking at Bloomberg House during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Armstrong urged investors to focus on long-term trends and said he remains optimistic about U.S. crypto legislation.
Armstrong also said Coinbase can no longer support the current Senate Banking Committee crypto market structure bill, calling it worse than the status quo and harmful to innovation and competition.
For context, the U.S. Senate committee postponed debate last week on the landmark crypto “Clarity Act” after Armstrong said the company could not support the bill, dealing a major blow to its prospects.
In essence, the legislation would establish a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies by defining when tokens are securities or commodities and clarifying the SEC’s authority, marking the culmination of years of industry lobbying for clearer rules.
