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Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong unveiled the company’s ambitious roadmap for 2026, promising to create a global “everything exchange.”
Although the vision is bold, users and developers express frustration, citing a growing gap between Coinbase’s stated priorities and their field experiences.
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Brian Armstrong under fire after Coinbase’s 2026 roadmap faces backlash from users
According to the Coinbase executive, the Everything app will cover crypto markets, stocks, commodities and prediction markets. It will also include expanded stablecoins and payments, as well as expanded developer integration through the Base Chain and Base App.
“We are making significant investments in product quality and automation that also support all of these factors. The goal is to make Coinbase the #1 financial app in the world.” books Armstrong.
Critics have long pointed to security failures. In 2025, Coinbase was hit For data hacking He would have participated From the inside.
“Brian still doesn’t see user security as a priority at Coinbase. It could have been prevented. A year later, instead of solving this problem, management said, ‘bring more lambs to my slaughter, please.’ books Ty, a popular user on X (Twitter).
Despite Armstrong’s focus in 2026 on global expansion and automation, many users feel that security and customer support remain secondary.
The backlash against Base added to the frustrations. The rebranded automated wallet, designed as a combination of business, social feeds and online messaging The top of the Layer-2 Base serieshas been criticized for prioritizing creator coins and content at the expense of meaningful DeFi projects or games.
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“Everything in the base is rubbish… “He said another user, reflecting a sentiment among developers who feel left out unless they are connected to Al Qaeda leadership or are former Coinbase employees.
Many builders say that they do not feel supported and manipulated by the Al Qaeda administration. In a long post, developer Coco argued that Coinbase actually competes with its own builders, favoring insiders in long-term projects.
“Stop supporting absolute scammers… Support legit builders, not Soulja Boy or Sohail,” books Coco, emphasizing the risk of top talent escaping the ecosystem if the chain continues to prioritize internal politics over merit.
BeInCrypto recently reported Controversy surrounding Soulja Boy’s characterwhere the backlash erupted after Base creator Jesse Pollack endorsed a meme linked to the American singer and record producer.
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Retail wants a great financial app, not social experiences
Users also question Coinbase’s focus on social benefit versus financial benefit. While Armstrong emphasizes unification via the Base app, individual traders argue that the company is neglecting the next generation of financial users.
“Retail wants to bet, bank, save, earn, exchange money, withdraw money, pay rent, and everything else at the same time… Coinbase doesn’t get that,” description the user Effend, citing the competitive threat presented by platforms such as Robinhood, which offer integrated financial services without forcing users to navigate fragmented applications.
Regulatory decisions have added to the confusion. Coinbase plans to stop and discontinue ramps in Argentina, that is An area with a high rate of use of stablecoins. This raises questions about whether these steps are regulatory, political or internal.
Finally, analysts and users also point to a disconnect between roadmap and implementation, as implementation has historically been weak. This is related to unequal token lists and uncertain decisions in the base chain.
Ancient grammar builders echoed this, describing an “unbalanced and unfair playing field” where merit is often secondary to internal conformity. Many users find Armstrong’s style repetitive and disconnected from the needs of the community.
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“They have been using the same plan for a long time … What they say does not match what they do,” hit Rbthreek, pointing to the growing gap in credibility between retail users and developers.
Despite these criticisms, some see the potential in the vision of Coinbase for 2026. Users recognize the promise of the Base Chain for payments on the chain and the adoption of sales, and the implementation of Base can eventually simplify social marketing if the implementation aligns with the needs of the community.
However, without addressing security, developer trust, and the disconnect between ambition and execution, Coinbase risks alienating the users the roadmap aims to integrate.
As Armstrong pushes for a global “everything exchange”, critics argue that Coinbase must first demonstrate that it can secure, support and empower its existing base before betting the future of social finance on the chain.
Until then, 2026 may be a year full of promise, but also a year of increasing uncertainty.
