In an interview with Relentless Podcast, Armstrong recalled that Chinese Shenzhen transformed from a fishing village into a major technology hub after it gained special economic zone status in 1980. Similar zones in the US, according to Armstrong, will allow companies to test solutions for decentralized finance (DeFi), biotechnology, autonomous systems, and more. Previously, Coinbase invested in the Prospera project — an economic zone in Honduras where Bitcoin is used as a means of payment and taxes can be paid with BTC, freeing local businesses from capital gains tax — provided they use Bitcoin. Brian Armstrong has been promoting the idea of special economic zones for several years. In 2025, he proposed creating ten such zones in the US, one of which would be dedicated to the crypto industry. The main argument from the executive: Bitcoin is an international currency, resistant to inflation, and operates without centralized control. #GateSquareAprilPostingChallenge