Having launched GiveCrypto.org earlier this year to make direct cryptocurrency transfers to people living in poverty , Brian Armstrong- CEO of US crypto exchange gaint Coinbase has now promised to give a huge chunk of his fotune away to charitable causes.
"This year, I started my first philanthropic efforts, GiveCrypto.org, which makes direct cash transfers to people living in poverty. I'm excited about the potential for this organization to help people, but I'm still early on my journey of discovering how to have the most impact via philantrophy."
Armstrong signed the Giving Pledge, becoming the first cryptocurrency enterpreneur to pledge to donate the majority of his wealth for the greater good.
The Giving Pledge is a campaign started in 2010 by billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, which seeks to encourage the world's wealthiest to use their fortune to help make the world's a better place. According to a Wealth-X report published on Business Insider , the total value of pledges made to the charity could be worth as much as $600 billion by 2022.
He joins other billionaires including Tesla's Elon Musk, businessman Michael Bloomberg, and Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, all of whom have dedicated the majority of their wealth to giving back. Zuckerberg, who joined the pledge when it was launched, promised to give away 99% of his Facebook shares during his lifetime.
Armstrong runs Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchange whose valuation was recently placed at $8 billion after the completion of its last investment round. According to Forbes, Armstrong is worth $1.3 billion as a co-founder. The recent downturn in the market, which saw trading volumes drop on most trading platforms, will see Armstrong's net worth dip, but we still can't be far off the $900 million to the $1 billion range.
Armstrong explained on the Giving Pledge website that-
"Once a certain level of wealth is reached, there is little additional utility from spending more on yourself. One's ambition begins to move outward. I've always admired founders and leaders whose ambition to improve the world supersedes any goal related to personal wealth."