Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has sharply criticized the European Union’s regulatory approach, claiming the bloc is extracting excessive revenue from American technology companies through what he describes as punitive fines.
In a post on X, Armstrong argued the practice “borders on looting,” pointing to data from 2024 that, in his view, shows a troubling imbalance. According to him, the EU imposed €3.8 billion in fines on U.S. tech firms last year, more than the combined €3.2 billion that all publicly listed European internet companies paid in corporate income tax.
Armstrong suggested that when fines surpass normal taxation, it reflects a government strategy prioritizing penalty revenue over sustainable economic expansion. He warned that aggressive regulatory enforcement and strong economic growth “cannot coexist,” especially when companies feel targeted rather than supported.
At some point with enough regulation producing fines, it borders on looting.
You can have more fines from over-regulation, or you can have a growing economy, but you can't have both.
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) December 9, 2025
EU Tightens Digital Oversight While U.S. Firms Push Back
The dispute comes as the EU intensifies its enforcement under the Digital Services Act, a sweeping framework intended to govern online platforms. The legislation has already resulted in a series of high-profile penalties, including a recent €120 million fine against X (formerly Twitter) for violations related to content moderation rules. Armstrong argues that this increasingly strict landscape risks harming innovation by treating major U.S. companies as convenient revenue sources rather than partners in the digital economy.
At the same time, the EU has moved ahead with its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, the first comprehensive crypto rulebook among major economies. Coinbase has been working to align with the new standards, designating Ireland as its European regulatory hub to meet MiCA requirements.
Coinbase Faces Penalties of Its Own in Europe
Despite Armstrong’s criticisms, Coinbase has not been exempt from regulatory action within the EU. Coinbase Europe was recently fined €21.5 million by the Central Bank of Ireland for “significant” anti-money laundering monitoring failures that occurred between 2021 and 2025. Regulators stated that the company had not maintained adequate systems for transaction oversight during that period, a finding Armstrong has acknowledged while stressing Coinbase’s ongoing investment in compliance.
The tension underscores a broader conflict between Silicon Valley’s leading firms and European policymakers, who maintain that strict oversight is necessary to protect consumers and financial stability. Armstrong counters that while regulation is essential, the current model disproportionately targets U.S. companies and risks undermining innovation across digital finance, artificial intelligence, and internet platforms.
Debate Over EU Strategy Intensifies
As discussions continue around digital policy and MiCA implementation, Armstrong’s remarks add renewed pressure to the transatlantic debate over how far regulators should go. Whether the EU’s approach represents necessary oversight or an economic burden remains deeply contested, but the growing divide shows how central digital regulation has become to global competition and policy strategy.