ASA Blocks Coinbase Ads Over Misleading Crypto Claims

Crypto News Regulation

ASA Blocks Coinbase Ads Claiming Crypto Can Fix Living Costs

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: January 28, 2026

Key Takeaways

The UK’s ad regulator banned Coinbase’s campaign for promoting crypto as an answer to financial struggles without showing its risks;
The ASA said using humor about serious money issues could make crypto seem safer and simpler than it is;Posters and videos lacked risk warnings, breaking FCA rules, though Coinbase’s CEO defended the campaign’s message.

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ASA Blocks Coinbase Ads Claiming Crypto Can Fix Living Costs

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The UK’s advertising regulator has reportedly banned several Coinbase $1.39B ads after finding that they portrayed cryptocurrency as a fix for living-cost problems while ignoring its risks.

According to The Guardian, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the campaign, which included a musical-style video and three posters, was “irresponsible” and made light of crypto dangers.

The ASA explained that mixing humor with serious financial issues could mislead viewers.

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The regulator said, “Using humour to reference serious financial concerns, alongside a cue to 'change', risked presenting complex, high-risk financial products as an easy or obvious response to those concerns".

Coinbase released the video in July, but it never aired on TV. The Telegraph reported that Clearcast, the group that reviews UK television ads, rejected it for suggesting that crypto could solve economic problems without evidence.

The posters carried lines like “home ownership out of reach", “eggs now out of budget", and “real wages stuck in 2008", followed by the slogan “If everything’s fine, don’t change anything", next to Coinbase’s logo.

None of them mentioned potential risks, which the ASA said violated Financial Conduct Authority rules requiring clear warnings on crypto promotions.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong later defended the video. He said, "Needing to update the system and improve society is not a political statement on either party in the UK".

Meanwhile, Coinbase recently paused peso-based USDC USDC $1.00 purchases, sales and bank withdrawals in Argentina. Why? Read the full story.