Coinbase Expands Global Advisory Council

Coinbase has strengthened its Global Advisory Council with four political and financial heavyweights, signaling a deeper push into policymaking.

The crypto exchange operator has added:
– Former Senator Kyrsten Sinema
– President Donald Trump’s 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita
– Former Federal Reserve Bank of New York President Bill Dudley
– Former Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno

Coinbase stated, “The newest additions bring experience working with world leaders across the political spectrum and will support the Coinbase executive leadership team as the company navigates new political and regulatory realities.”

President Trump has embraced a pro-crypto stance, advocating for clearer regulations, but there’s still work to be done, according to Sinema. She stated, “There’s some people who think, ‘Well, now you have a Trump administration that’s pro-crypto. You’ve got David Sacks as the crypto czar. You don’t really need legislation.’ That is wrong. Then you’re still in a scenario where consumers such as yourself can’t feel confident without a lot of outside education or assistance.”

Sinema and LaCivita aim to guide Coinbase and the crypto industry through Congress and broader policy challenges. LaCivita mentioned to Semafor that Trump has “heard a lot about [crypto] from Barron,” the President’s youngest son. “The boss was very much into learning about as much of this as possible,” LaCivita said. “The president’s made it perfectly clear he wants to be on the forefront.”

Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council team already includes former Senator Pat Toomey (Republican from Pennsylvania), former Representative Stephanie Murphy (Democrat from Florida), and several other former officials from both parties.

Coinbase, along with Kraken, Ripple, Andreessen Horowitz, and others, contributed to the $78 million raised and donated to support “pro-innovation” political candidates in 2024. The donations were made through Fairshake, a crypto-focused political action committee or PAC.

Dudley stated, “More and more consumers are looking to crypto as a way to engage with the broader financial ecosystem. I believe we’ve reached a pivotal moment in crypto’s evolution where smart political leadership and trusted, thoughtful business counterparts like Coinbase can ensure it is integrated into our financial system in a safe and beneficial way for Americans.”