TL;DR
- Brian Armstrong predicts that in 10 years, millions will use crypto, but without being aware of it.
- The Coinbase CEO believes the best technology is “invisible” and technical complexity will disappear.
- The prediction coincides with the announcement of the new “Coinbase business platform” for SMEs.
While industry leaders like the founder of Cardano predict the arrival of a billion new users thanks to the integration of big tech, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong offered a different and surprising vision for the sector’s future.
Unlike quantitative projections, Brian Armstrong’s crypto adoption prediction focuses on the quality of the user experience (UX) over the next decade.
In a recent statement, Armstrong affirmed that, although he anticipates many more people will use cryptocurrencies in the next 10 years, the most relevant part of his vision is that “they may not know they’re using crypto.”
The Coinbase CEO argued that mass adoption will not require users to understand the complex underlying systems. Instead, they will only need to “feel the benefits.” Armstrong stressed that “the best tech is often invisible,” suggesting the industry will move toward a phase where current technical complexity completely disappears from the user’s view.
Coinbase’s Strategy: Improving UX and Hiding Complexity
This prediction aligns directly with Coinbase’s current strategy. Armstrong noted that “over time user experience will keep improving, and more layers of complexity will disappear.” Brian Armstrong’s crypto adoption prediction is not just philosophical; it also supports the company’s new products.
This vision comes just after the unveiling of the “Coinbase business platform,” an “all-in-one” financial platform set to launch later this year. This platform is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to receive crypto, manage assets, and earn yield on stablecoins in a simplified way.
This focus on “invisibility” contrasts with current estimates, which placed the number of global crypto users between 580 and 660 million as of mid-2025. For Armstrong, the next great leap will not be measured by how many understand the blockchain, but by how many use it effortlessly.
