Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has outlined an ambitious plan to integrate every phase of a startup's existence, from its inception to its public trading debut, onto the blockchain.
During an appearance on the TBPN podcast, Armstrong articulated a future where founders can establish their companies, secure seed funding, and even conduct initial public offerings directly on-chain. This on-chain process would enable founders to receive capital instantaneously in stablecoins like USDC, bypassing traditional intermediaries such as banks and lawyers, thereby facilitating faster global transactions.
Armstrong expressed his belief that this transformative shift, which he described as "this whole life cycle coming on-chain," will empower a greater number of individuals worldwide to launch and build businesses.
On-Chain Fundraising: A Streamlined Approach
Armstrong highlighted the current inefficiencies and complexities inherent in traditional fundraising processes. His vision aims to simplify, democratize, and enhance the transparency of fundraising through the application of blockchain technology.
In a move towards realizing this vision, Coinbase recently acquired Echo, a platform designed to assist startups in raising capital via tokenized assets. Echo has a proven track record, having supported over 200 projects that collectively raised more than $200 million.
While Echo will initially continue to operate independently, it is slated to be integrated into Coinbase's broader ecosystem. This integration will provide startup founders with access to Coinbase's extensive investor network and its substantial custody assets, exceeding $500 billion.
Bringing back Up Only was just the warm up.
We’ve acquired @echodotxyz, the leading onchain capital raising platform.
→ Joining builders with community capital
→ Giving investors access to new opportunities
→ Growing economic freedom worldwide pic.twitter.com/NCDF7t7B08— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) October 21, 2025
Armstrong stated that by connecting promising builders with investors, "we can speed up innovation."
Navigating Regulation and Fostering Inclusion
Armstrong also disclosed that Coinbase is actively engaged in discussions with U.S. regulators concerning the expansion of investment opportunities in early-stage projects. He characterized the existing investor regulations as "unfair" due to their exclusion of numerous individuals from participating in early-stage ventures.
Coinbase wants to bring the entire startup lifecycle onchain: from incorporation to IPO.
Armstrong says this shift could make capital formation “more efficient, fair, and transparent,” while tapping into Base’s $12–34B market potential.
Their Echo acquisition already helped… pic.twitter.com/lua7LPwZ6m
— Onur 🍌🦍 (@0xc06) October 27, 2025
In parallel developments, JPMorgan Chase recently elevated Coinbase's stock rating to "Overweight." Analysts at the firm pointed to Coinbase's expanding Base network and its new USDC strategy as potential drivers of significant value, suggesting a multibillion-dollar opportunity could emerge if a Base token is launched.
By facilitating startup fundraising on-chain, Coinbase aims to create a more rapid, open, and globally accessible environment for company building. The success of this initiative could fundamentally alter how future generations of startups secure their capital.