Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said bitcoin provides “healthy competition” for the US dollar by giving people an alternative during periods of elevated inflation or deficit spending.
Armstrong made the comments in an interview on Tetragrammation with Rick Rubin and later reiterated the view in a post on X.
Bitcoin as a market check
Armstrong argued that if US fiscal conditions deteriorate, “people will flee to Bitcoin in times of uncertainty,” which can pressure policymakers to maintain discipline.
He added that moderate inflation can be sustainable if it matches economic growth, but warned that if inflation outpaces growth, the US could risk losing reserve-currency status.
The Coinbase CEO concluded:
“So I actually think in a strange way, Bitcoin is helping extend the American experiment.”
Debt figures cited
The article cited the US Congress Joint Economic Committee’s debt dashboard, which puts US national debt at $37.65 trillion.
It said the total is rising by $70,843 per second, or nearly $4.25 million per minute.
Bitcoin and stablecoins in the dollar debate
The report noted that the Trump administration signed an executive order in March to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which currently holds seized bitcoin rather than making purchases.
It also pointed to arguments that stablecoins may play a larger role in supporting dollar dominance.
The US passed the GENIUS Act in mid-July, described as a comprehensive stablecoin framework.
The stablecoin market was cited at $312.6 billion, with a US Treasury estimate projecting it could reach $2 trillion by 2028.
