Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is exploring different avenues for the newly rebranded Base App, questioning whether it should focus on financials, social features, or both.
Armstrong said in a Dec. 18 post that the platform currently functions as both a wallet and a social hub. But he acknowledged that he’s heard a variety of opinions on whether that’s the right direction for the app.
“Should the Base app focus on the self-custodial version of Coinbase (trading and financial services oriented) or should it lean more towards content/creator coins and social? (Or is this a false dichotomy?) This is a key question we heard from those who attended yesterday’s product event,” Armstrong said, referring to Coinbase System Update 2025, where the exchange announced a series of new products.
“The Base app is your gateway to the on-chain economy, combining the best of defi with new social-fi tools. Rather than choosing one path or the other, we are building a home for both to thrive. We look forward to watching our community shape this journey as we deliver a seamless on-chain experience to the next billion users,” a Base spokesperson told The Defiant.
Rethinking super apps
The Base app marks a significant change from Coinbase Wallet, which was previously a standalone self-custodial wallet. Over the summer, the exchange rebranded Coinbase Wallet as an “everything app” that combines wallet functionality with trading and social feeds.
As Coinbase CEO previously explained, the idea was to create a “super app” that would offer multiple services in a single app, such as WeChat and Alipay, which are popular in Asia.
Armstrong’s question to the community comes just weeks after Farcaster, a blockchain-based social protocol co-founded by Coinbase alumni, announced that it would pivot from a social network-first strategy to focus on on-chain transactions.
Farcaster co-founder Dan Romero said the team decided to “double down” on the wallet after coming to the conclusion that a social-first approach would not lead to sustainable growth.