🚨 HUGE: Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong PRAISES the SEC’s push to open private markets to more Americans. Armstrong called the proposal a major step toward ending a system that excludes everyday investors from private equity, startups and early-stage deals based largely on wealth. The SEC is exploring a merit-based path to accredited investor status, potentially allowing people to qualify through a FINRA-developed exam or credentials such as the CPA and CFA. If adopted, the change could give retail investors earlier access to private companies and reduce incentives for startups to stay private longer.