The UK Advertising Standards Authority has ordered Coinbase to stop running a recent marketing campaign after ruling that several of the ads implied cryptocurrencies could be an answer to household financial pressures. The campaign — a mix of a short, tongue-in-cheek video and poster creatives placed in busy public locations — was judged irresponsible because it downplayed the high risks associated with investing in crypto.

The video depicted a home in disrepair alongside imagery of rising supermarket prices, closing with the line: 'If everything’s fine, don’t change anything'. Posters carried the same provocative tone, implying Coinbase could be an alternative to financial struggle. The ASA found those creative choices trivialised the potential for financial loss and failed to include adequate risk warnings or context about the volatility and uncertain outcomes of crypto investments.

Coinbase said the campaign was intended to provoke discussion about the financial system rather than to provide financial advice. Regulators rejected that defence, noting that advertising which alludes to economic hardship needs clear, prominent cautionary messaging so viewers can judge the relevance and risk for themselves.

The campaign has drawn extra scrutiny because of Coinbase’s political and advisory ties; the firm recently appointed former chancellor George Osborne as chair of its global advisory council, and his public-facing lobbying activity has been part of broader regulatory conversations around crypto firms operating in the UK.

The ASA has banned the adverts from running across multiple online platforms and from high-traffic outdoor sites in the UK, citing the potential for consumer harm and misleading impressions. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/28/coinbase-adverts-banned-uk-crypto

Regulators emphasised that advertising for financial products — including crypto — must not exploit economic anxiety and must communicate risk clearly when targeting audiences affected by cost-of-living pressures.