The new documentary about the leading US cryptocurrency exchange is called COIN, but it could just as easily have been called BRIAN, after its CEO.
Why It Matters: Coinbase has put the pinnacle of the cryptocurrency industry into the public eye (since Facebook is synonymous with social media). COIN, which is also its ticker symbol, appears to be an attempt to forestall the criticism this position has received.
New Deal: Coinbase's new documentary is available today on Amazon, Vimeo and iTunes.
Details: COIN was directed by Greg Kohs, who has produced numerous documentaries.
- The highlight here was 2017's AlphaGo, which was all about how to beat an AI board game.
The film tells the story of Coinbase , from when young Armstrong acquired a computer to its IPO in Spring 2021.
- It marks many of Coinbase's major milestones and controversies over the years, such as the acquisition of Neutrino, the hiring of several members of the controversial hacking team, and the #DeleteCoinbase trend.
- It also sheds some light on the Coinbase stories. The likes of tech thought leader Scott Galloway, Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff, and Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin.
- Jacob Goldstein, formerly of NPR, author of Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing, seems to have argued early on that money is something that enough people accept as money.
Yes, but: The real purpose of the film seems to be to introduce the audience to its real subject, Armstrong.
- Increases Armstrong's eccentric side. His unique way of moving, laughing and interacting with others. He ends up talking about you not showing much emotion.
- It's also very focused on specific relationships. His parents spend a lot of time in front of the screen, but the film really wants viewers to know that Armstrong is still connected to his co-creator, Fred Ehrsam.
- Ehrsam left the company in 2017 but remained on the board. He now runs Paradigm, one of the largest crypto funds out there.
Note: Black Lives Matter protests erupted in the United States in the early days of the pandemic, as Coinbase employees rioted when Armstrong refused to comment on the issue on behalf of the company.
- In a September 2020 blog post about this decision, Coinbase is a mission-driven company.
- "I think if I had to do it again today, I would probably act earlier and say it even more clearly," he says in the film.
In Numbers: COIN is available for $12.99, or about 0.000050 BTC at today's prices.