Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has spoken out after the company’s TV ad was banned by British broadcasters. He called the move a sign of resistance from the traditional financial system.
The banned ad, which went viral online, contained a provocative message:
“If everything is fine, then don’t change anything at all. But when the financial system isn’t working for so many people in the UK, it needs to be updated.”
The removal of the ad by TV networks resonated with the crypto community, with many seeing it as proof of institutional bias against digital finance. Armstrong responded on Twitter, defending the campaign and its message.
“Our ad banned in the UK has caused quite a stir. If you can’t say it, there’s some truth to it. The need to update the system and improve society is not a political statement in favour of any party,” Brian Armstrong wrote on X. “Our ad, banned in the UK, has caused a huge reaction,” he also added. “If you can’t say it, there’s some truth to it.”
He rejected attempts to politicise the message, emphasising that it was not directed against any party or country. “This is a statement that the traditional financial system is not working for many people, and cryptocurrencies offer a way to fix that,” he added.
Armstrong also touched on outdated perceptions of cryptocurrencies in the UK: “Some still consider cryptocurrencies to be gambling (a very outdated view) and completely miss their potential to renew and improve the financial system for everyone.”
He also took the opportunity to state: “We welcome attacks and any attempts at censorship because it only helps spread our message.”
The ban in the UK removed Coinbase ads from the airwaves but made them go viral online, which, ironically, increased their reach. This incident could be a turning point in the fight for mass adoption of cryptocurrencies.
