Coinbase CEO invites DC residents over for ice cream and crypto talk

Brian Armstrong, the chief executive officer of United States-based cryptocurrency firm Coinbase, is looking for lawmakers and regulators to discuss regulatory clarity in the crypto space.

In a Feb. 13 tweet, Armstrong put a call out for anyone with access to the Dirksen Senate Office in Washington, D.C. to meet him at the building’s snack bar and “chat about crypto”. According to the Coinbase CEO, he was looking for “low sugar options” amid the selection of soft serve ice cream and toppings.

"’I'm in Washington D.C. and had a meeting canceled," said Armstrong. "If anyone wants to come chat about crypto and how we get crypto legislation + regulatory clarity this year."

Armstrong’s presence in D.C. followed the Securities and Exchange Commission announcing a $30-million settlement with Kraken on Feb. 9, in which the firm agreed to shut down its staking program for U.S. users. The Coinbase CEO argued in a Twitter thread responding to rumors that eliminating staking would be a “terrible path for the U.S.” On Feb. 12, he released a statement saying Coinbase would defend staking “in court if needed”.

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The Coinbase CEO’s call to Senators, House Representatives, and other D.C. residents preceded U.S. lawmakers with the Senate Banking Committee preparing to hold a hearing on Feb. 14 exploring the impact of a crypto market crash. Representative Maxine Waters, ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, has also called on the committee’s leadership to hold another hearing on the collapse of FTX in which former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried could testify.