Zcash Founder Rails Against Coinbase
Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox-OHearn has sharply criticized cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase for aggressively pushing gambling-like features to its user base. On Saturday, Zooko took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his intense frustration over the platforms tactics. “Talked to a user (a vulnerable, young, unsophisticated, financially poor user) who has the Coinbase app, and it has started prompting them to gamble on sports and the price of Bitcoin,” Zooko stated. “I hate this with a burning passion and it makes me ashamed to be part of this industry,” he added. Defending “financial freedom” Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has made it clear that there is a need to find the right balance. The CEO defended the inclusion of prediction markets on the platform by leaning on libertarian principles of personal choice. “Im pro-freedom,” Armstrong argued. “Consenting adults should be able to do what they want with their own money, as long as they‘re not harming others. I don’t want companies patronizing users.” Armstrong further pushed back against the stigma of the word “gamble.” The Coinbase boss has noted that “theres no perfectly safe investment, and what counts as acceptable is highly subjective,” he noted. Adjusting promotional strategies Armstrong has concluded that Coinbases promotional strategies might need adjustment. “That said, it doesn‘t feel right