Coinbase has appointed George Osborne, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, as the Chair of its Global Advisory Council. This announcement marks an elevation from his previous role as an advisor, which he began in January 2024. Osborne's new position will involve leading the council's strategic mission, leveraging his extensive experience in global finance and politics to assist Coinbase in its efforts to update the financial system.
Osborne served as the UK's finance minister from 2010 to 2016 under Prime Minister David Cameron. During his tenure, he implemented austerity measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit while also cutting corporate taxes to stimulate economic growth. Since leaving politics, Osborne has built a diverse portfolio in the private sector. He chairs the British Museum, is a partner at the investment bank Robey Warshaw LLP (now part of Evercore), and chairs Lingotto Investment Management.
The appointment of Osborne reflects Coinbase's strategy to broaden its policy outreach beyond the United States. Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase's Chief Policy Officer, stated that Osborne will play a more active role in engaging with policymakers worldwide. Osborne will be based in London. The company aims to work with policymakers to shape the evolving rules for stablecoins, tokenized markets, and cross-border crypto activity.
Coinbase views predictable regulations as crucial for integrating cryptocurrency into mainstream financial services. The Global Advisory Council is designed to provide Coinbase with a wide range of political and financial perspectives as it navigates heavier global regulatory engagement. The council includes figures such as former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and former Senator Pat Toomey. Osborne's responsibilities will include promoting discussions on blockchain and stablecoins, establishing regulatory clarity on crypto taxation, and promoting the use of tokenized assets in capital markets.
In a written statement, Osborne expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, stating that chairing the Global Advisory Council will provide him with more opportunities to learn about the revolution that blockchain, stablecoins, and tokenization are bringing to the financial system.
Coinbase is expanding its business beyond cryptocurrency. At its "System Update" event on December 17, 2025, the company announced plans to introduce stock trading on its platform, allowing users to trade major stocks and ETFs. It also launched prediction markets through a partnership with Kalshi, enabling bets on real-world events. Additional features include expanded tools for businesses via Coinbase Business, custom stablecoins, asset tokenization platforms, and AI-powered financial advisors.
Adding to his portfolio, just days before the Coinbase announcement, OpenAI revealed on December 15, 2025, that it had hired Osborne to lead its “OpenAI for Countries” initiative. In this role, Osborne will focus on international government relations and overseas data center expansion under the Stargate program.
