Coinbase Taps George Osborne as Advisory Chair in Push to Close UK Stablecoin Gap With US

Coinbase has appointed George Osborne, the former United Kingdom chancellor of the exchequer, as chair of its internal advisory council, a move that underscores both the exchange’s global policy ambitions and a renewed push to help the UK catch up with the United States in digital assets—particularly pound-pegged stablecoins.

Osborne, who began advising Coinbase in 2024, will now formally lead the council as the company deepens its engagement with policymakers at a time when the US is pulling ahead in crypto regulation and stablecoin adoption. The appointment comes as Coinbase seeks to shape regulatory frameworks abroad while expanding its product offerings well beyond spot crypto trading.

In his statement, Osborne said

“Serving on Coinbase’s advisory council, I’ve seen first-hand the scale of the blockchain revolution and its potential to broaden ownership. Chairing it is an opportunity to learn more—and to help ensure policymakers don’t miss what’s coming.”

A Political Voice for Britain’s Stablecoin Catch-Up

Osborne has been one of the most prominent critics of the UK’s slow progress on digital asset regulation. In an August op-ed in the Financial Times, he warned that the absence of meaningful development around British pound-denominated stablecoins risked sidelining sterling as US dollar stablecoins consolidate global dominance.

That concern now sits at the heart of his expanded role at Coinbase. While US-pegged stablecoins have surged in usage across trading, payments and on-chain finance, the UK has yet to produce a competitive, widely adopted alternative. Osborne has argued that without decisive action, the UK could lose influence in the next generation of financial infrastructure.

Coinbase’s decision to elevate Osborne reflects a broader strategy of leveraging political experience to engage regulators outside the US, particularly as Washington advances clearer frameworks for stablecoins and tokenized assets.

Coinbase Expands Beyond Crypto Trading

The appointment also coincides with Coinbase’s transformation into a broader financial platform. In recent months, the exchange has expanded into tokenized stocks, prediction markets and derivatives, positioning itself as an “everything app” for digital finance.

Coinbase has selected Kalshi to power its upcoming prediction markets and plans to introduce perpetual futures for both crypto and tokenized equities by 2026, offering up to 50x leverage. The company has also continued its acquisition strategy, including the purchase of crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, as it pushes further into traditional financial markets.

Tokenized stocks and ETFs—one of Coinbase’s newest initiatives—enable 24/7 trading and allow traditional assets to be used as collateral in crypto-native applications, blurring the lines between legacy finance and blockchain-based systems.

Against that backdrop, Osborne’s role places him at the intersection of policy, payments and platform expansion, reinforcing Coinbase’s view that stablecoins and tokenization will define the next phase of global finance.

As the US accelerates ahead with dollar-backed stablecoins, Osborne’s appointment signals an effort to ensure the UK is not left behind. Whether that influence translates into regulatory momentum—or a credible pound-pegged alternative—may determine how competitive Britain remains in the emerging digital financial order.