Here are all the reasons why Coinbase’s 2026 vision isn’t gaining fans

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced the company’s ambitious 2026 roadmap, promising global “everything exchange.”

While the vision is bold, users and developers alike complain of a widening gap between Coinbase’s stated priorities and the experience on the ground.

Coinbase’s 2026 Roadmap Faces User Backlash, Brian Armstrong Under Fire

According to Coinbase executives, the Everything app spans cryptocurrencies, stocks, commodities, and prediction markets. It also features expanded stablecoins and payments, as well as expanded developer onboarding through Base Chain and Base App.

“We are also making significant investments in the quality and automation of each of our underlying products. Our goal is to make Coinbase the #1 financial app in the world,” Armstrong wrote.

Critics have long pointed to the lack of safety. In 2025, Coinbase experienced a data breach that allegedly involved an insider.

“Brian still doesn’t think user safety is Coinbase’s priority. It could have been prevented. A year later, instead of fixing that shit, the leadership is saying, ‘Bring more lambs to my slaughterhouse, please,'” wrote Tay, a popular user on X (Twitter).

Despite Armstrong’s focus on global expansion and automation in 2026, many users feel that security and customer support have taken a backseat.

The backlash against the Base App added to the frustration. The rebranded self-custody wallet is designed as a hybrid of trading, social feeds, and messaging on Coinbase’s Layer 2-based chain, and has been criticized for prioritizing creator and content coins over meaningful DeFi and gaming projects.

“Everything on Base is garbage…your flagship product is a fraudulent token generator,” said another user, echoing a widespread sentiment among developers who feel ignored unless they align with Base’s leadership or are former Coinbase employees.

Many builders report feeling gassed and without support from base managers. In a lengthy post, developer Koko claimed that Coinbase is effectively competing with its own builders and favoring insiders over long-term projects.

“Stop supporting absolute scammers…support legit builders, not SouljaBoy or Sahil,” Coco wrote, highlighting the risk of talent leaving the ecosystem if chains continue to prioritize internal politics over merit.

BeInCrypto recently reported on the controversy surrounding Soulja Boy. The controversy sparked backlash after Base creator Jesse Pollack endorsed a meme coin associated with American rapper and record producer Soulja Boy.

Retail industry wants financial super apps, not social experiments

Users also question Coinbase’s focus on social and financial utilities. While Armstrong emphasizes onboarding through the Base App, retail traders claim the company is ignoring the next generation of financial users.

“Retailers want to bet, bank, save, earn, trade, withdraw cash, pay rent, and more all at the same time…Coinbase doesn’t understand this,” user Evfiend explained, highlighting the competitive threat posed by platforms like Robinhood that offer integrated financial services without forcing users to navigate fragmented apps.

Regulatory decisions are causing confusion. Coinbase plans to turn off the on/off ramp in Argentina, a region with high penetration of stablecoins. This raises questions about whether such moves are regulatory, political, or internal.

Finally, analysts and users also say there is a disconnect between roadmaps and execution, and that execution has historically been poor. This concerns uneven token listings and opaque decision-making on the Base chain.

Longtime base builders echo this, describing an “uneven and unfair playing field” where merits often take precedence over internal coordination. Many users find Armstrong’s strategy repetitive and disconnected from the needs of the community.

“They’ve been implementing the same strategy for a long time… What they say doesn’t match what they’re doing,” Rbthreek tweeted, highlighting the growing credibility gap with both retail users and developers.

Despite these criticisms, some see potential in Coinbase’s 2026 vision. Users acknowledge that Base Chain is committed to on-chain payments and retail adoption, and if execution aligns with community needs, the Base app could ultimately streamline social transactions.

But without addressing security, developer trust, and the disconnect between ambition and delivery, Coinbase risks alienating the very users its roadmap aims to onboard.

As Mr. Armstrong pushes for a global “everything exchange,” critics argue that Coinbase first needs to prove it can secure, support, and empower its existing base before betting on the future of on-chain social finance.

Until then, 2026 may be a year of promise, but also a year of skepticism.

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