{"id":110357,"date":"2023-10-06T14:18:53","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T14:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/?post_type=definition&p=110357"},"modified":"2023-10-06T14:18:53","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T14:18:53","slug":"brian-armstrong","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/brian-armstrong","title":{"rendered":"Brian Armstrong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who is Brian Armstrong?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Brian Armstrong is a prominent American entrepreneur and software engineer<\/a>. He is the co-founder and CEO of Coinbase<\/a>, the largest cryptocurrency exchange<\/a> in the United States. His influence within the crypto sphere is profound, as he is recognized for overseeing the first-ever crypto exchange to go public in the U.S.<\/p>\n

In 2012, Armstrong and his partner, Fred Ehrsam, set out to create Coinbase to simplify cryptocurrency<\/a> transactions for the general public. The company quickly gained recognition and garnered support from notable investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global Management, and Union Square Venture.<\/p>\n

Beyond just leading the company, Armstrong is a vocal advocate for the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies<\/a> and has shared his insights at numerous conferences and events.<\/p>\n

In addition to his advocacy, he actively supports various blockchain<\/a> and cryptocurrency initiatives. He has demonstrated his commitment by generously contributing millions of dollars to charitable causes through his philanthropic organization, GiveCrypto<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Armstrong also serves as a board member of the Blockchain Association<\/a>, a prominent industry group in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Brian Armstrong’s Net Worth<\/span><\/h2>\n

Armstrong’s estimated wealth falls within the range of $2.4 billion to $2.8 billion. This is calculated from his existing holdings in Coinbase.<\/p>\n

His wealth predominantly comes from a mix of assets, including his Coinbase shares, stock options, salary, and investments, which account for approximately 19% of the company.<\/p>\n

However, Forbes currently reports his net worth at $3.3 billion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Education and Personal Life<\/span><\/h2>\n

Armstrong was born on 25 January 1983 near San Jose, California, United States, coming from a family with a strong engineering background. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory, a private, all-male, Catholic school for his secondary education.<\/p>\n

Armstrong continued his academic pursuits at Rice University in Texas, graduating in 2005 with a dual bachelor’s degree in economics and computer science.<\/p>\n

His commitment to education didn’t stop there; he continued to hone his skills by earning a master’s degree in computer science in 2006.<\/p>\n

During his time at Rice, he co-founded his first business venture, UniversityTutor.com, in 2003. This website served as a global platform connecting parents, students, and independent instructors.<\/p>\n

Armstrong held the CEO role at UniversityTutor.com until 2012, when Johnson Educational Technologies LLC acquired the company in 2014.<\/p>\n

Brian Armstrong is married to Raline Shah, an Indonesian actress and model. Currently, the couple does not have any children.<\/p>\n

Brian Armstrong’s Career Path<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before venturing into the crypto business, Armstrong’s early professional journey involved working as a developer<\/a> at IBM and consulting at Deloitte.<\/p>\n

Below, we provide a comprehensive overview of his career trajectory:<\/p>\n