Jordan Fish, better known as Cobie, acknowledged that Coinbase has long been somewhat distant from crypto-native users. The statement came after crypto KOL Rune questioned Base App’s ability to attract on-chain users amid declining community trust in the Base ecosystem.

Cobie said he had only taken over Base App and several Coinbase trading products a few days earlier. However, he emphasized that his responsibilities do not include the development or management of the Base blockchain network.

According to Cobie, Coinbase and Base have lost a significant amount of user trust due to a series of mistakes that could have been avoided. He plans to repair the relationship by listening more closely to the on-chain community and developing products that users genuinely want.

Rune Questions How Base App Will Attract On-Chain Users

The discussion began when Rune questioned Cobie’s strategy after he assumed leadership of Base App. Rune argued that Base is facing a serious trust problem among crypto-native users.

According to Rune, several users who previously supported Base have become disappointed with the decisions and responses of those leading the ecosystem. This situation could make it more difficult for Base App to encourage new users to participate in on-chain activities.

Responding to the criticism, Cobie explained that he had recently taken over Base App, Coinbase’s main trading product, and Coinbase Advanced. However, he is not responsible for the Base network, which remains under the leadership of Jesse Pollak.

Cobie then acknowledged that there has been a disconnect between Coinbase and crypto users who actively use blockchain applications and protocols.

“Coinbase has been somewhat distant from users, especially crypto-native users.”

He also said Coinbase and Base had burned a considerable amount of community goodwill through several “unforced errors,” referring to mistakes that should have been avoidable. Cobie did not provide details about every incident, but acknowledged that rebuilding trust would not happen quickly.

The statement represents an open admission that Base App’s challenges are not limited to its features or technology. Coinbase must also improve its communication and relationship with users who have long been active within the crypto ecosystem.

Cobie Takes Over Base App After Social Strategy Falls Short

Cobie took over Base App after Jesse Pollak stepped down from the application’s leadership on July 15, 2026. Pollak will return his focus to developing the Base network as blockchain infrastructure for global financial activity.

Meanwhile, Base App has been placed back under Coinbase’s management and will be led by Cobie. He has been tasked with developing the application for broader on-chain activities, including use cases beyond the Base ecosystem.

The leadership change also marks a reassessment of Base’s strategy over the past two years. Pollak previously relied on on-chain social applications, Farcaster, Zora, mini-apps, content coins, and creator coins as potential drivers of the next wave of crypto adoption.

However, Pollak acknowledged that the strategy did not produce the expected results. According to him, growth in the on-chain social sector weakened, while stablecoins, prediction markets, derivatives trading, payments, and tokenization expanded more rapidly.

Previously, Coinbase launched Base App as an Ethereum Layer-2 social crypto wallet. The application was designed to combine crypto wallet services, social activity, asset trading, payments, and creator monetization on a single platform.

The concept was expected to make on-chain experiences more accessible to mainstream users. However, weak adoption of several social features and growing criticism of creator coins prompted Coinbase to reconsider Base App’s development strategy.

Base Shifts Its Focus to Trading, Payments, and AI

Following the leadership change, Base is expected to focus more heavily on three main sectors: trading, stablecoin payments, and artificial intelligence agents.

The strategy reflects changing demand among on-chain users. Compared with token-based social applications, trading, payments, and financial services are considered to have clearer demand and more established use cases within the blockchain ecosystem.

Cobie is also expected to adopt a more open approach toward other blockchain networks. Base App will no longer be positioned solely as an entry point into the Base ecosystem, but as an application capable of supporting broader on-chain activities.

Jesse Pollak even acknowledged that Cobie could expand Base App beyond the Base ecosystem, despite the approach not necessarily benefiting Pollak’s position as the leader of the Base network.

The change could help Coinbase reach crypto-native users who regularly use multiple blockchains, non-custodial wallets, decentralized exchanges, and decentralized finance protocols. However, its success will still depend on product quality and Coinbase’s ability to respond to user needs.

User Trust Becomes the Biggest Challenge

From a technological perspective, Base continues to benefit from Coinbase’s infrastructure and distribution capabilities. However, the discussion between Rune and Cobie suggests that technology alone is not enough to maintain community loyalty.

User trust is an essential part of blockchain ecosystem development. Users need confidence that the information, features, and products introduced by developers will not change unexpectedly or cause losses that could otherwise have been avoided.

Uncertainty surrounding plans for a native Base asset has also remained a key concern within the community. Coinbase previously delayed the launch of a Base token, meaning the ecosystem’s development is still largely measured through transaction activity, liquidity, user numbers, and application growth.

Base does not currently have an official network token that could directly reflect the market’s response to the leadership change. As a result, the impact is more likely to become visible through Base App usage, developer activity, trading volume, and the ecosystem’s ability to retain users.

Cobie Promises to Listen More Closely to On-Chain Users

Cobie said one of his priorities is to bring the voices of on-chain users closer to Coinbase’s product development process.

According to him, the company needs to build products that the community genuinely wants to use rather than developing features based solely on internal assumptions. The approach is also intended to reduce the perception that Coinbase operates from an “ivory tower” and does not understand the needs of crypto-native users.

Nevertheless, Cobie acknowledged that Coinbase’s relationship with the community cannot be repaired within one week or even one month. Rebuilding trust will require visible improvements in product quality, more transparent communication, and more responsible responses when problems occur.

Cobie’s admission represents an initial step in the reassessment of Base App’s strategy. However, Coinbase’s success will ultimately depend on its ability to translate user criticism into relevant, open, and sustainable on-chain products.