Key Takeaways
- Faryar Shirzad is Coinbase’s Chief Coverage Officer, guiding world crypto coverage and shaping laws for the digital asset sector.
- He spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs, main authorities affairs and advising on insurance policies affecting finance, commerce, and financial development worldwide.
- Shirzad served in senior roles beneath George W. Bush, together with Deputy Nationwide Safety Advisor for Worldwide Financial Affairs.
Faryar Shirzad serves because the Chief Coverage Officer at Coinbase, the place he directs the corporate’s interactions with regulators and policymakers worldwide, shaping the authorized panorama for the digital asset sector. He brings a long time of expertise in world financial coverage, together with 15 years at Goldman Sachs as a companion and International Co-Head of Authorities Affairs. Earlier in his profession, Shirzad held key roles within the George W. Bush administration, contributing to the Nationwide Safety Council and different senior positions.
Born in London in 1965 to Iranian mother and father, Shirzad pursued increased schooling in america. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Enterprise on the College of Maryland, School Park, in 1986, adopted by a Grasp of Public Coverage from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy Faculty of Authorities and a Juris Physician from the College of Virginia Faculty of Legislation.
Early Authorized and Political Foundations
Faryar Shirzad started his profession as an legal professional at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, working within the worldwide commerce group, the place he gained expertise navigating advanced cross-border authorized and regulatory points.
Early on, he additionally entered the political enviornment as a coverage advisor for Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential marketing campaign, offering steering on financial and trade-related coverage issues. These formative experiences laid the groundwork for his experience on the intersection of legislation, authorities, and worldwide economics.
Legislative Expertise within the U.S. Senate
In 1997, Shirzad joined the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance as Worldwide Commerce Counsel beneath Chairman William Roth. On this position, he acted because the committee’s lead authorized advisor on commerce laws and coverage, shaping key selections that impacted U.S. commerce globally. This era gave him deep publicity to commerce legislation enforcement, worldwide negotiations, and the interaction between laws and financial technique.
Senior Roles within the George W. Bush Administration
Shirzad’s authorities profession grew loads beneath President George W. Bush. In 2001, he was confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration, overseeing U.S. commerce legal guidelines and imposing anti-dumping and countervailing obligation measures. In 2003, he joined the White Home as Particular Assistant to the President for Worldwide Financial Affairs on the Nationwide Safety Council.
He later turned Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Nationwide Safety Advisor for Worldwide Financial Affairs, coordinating U.S. worldwide financial coverage, advising the President and Nationwide Safety Advisor, and representing the U.S. as G-8 “Sherpa” for annual summits.
Personal Sector Management at Goldman Sachs
After leaving public service in 2006, Shirzad transitioned to Goldman Sachs, the place he spent almost 15 years as a companion and International Co-Head of the Workplace of Authorities Affairs. On this position, he managed the funding financial institution’s world public coverage and authorities relations technique, overseeing regulatory engagement and advising on insurance policies affecting finance, commerce, and financial development worldwide.
Coinbase and the Digital Asset Period
In Could 2021, Shirzad joined Coinbase as Chief Coverage Officer, main the corporate’s world coverage initiatives throughout a interval of accelerating regulatory deal with cryptocurrencies. He directs engagement with lawmakers, regulators, and multilateral establishments to form evolving authorized frameworks for digital property.
His appointment strengthened Coinbase’s strategic coverage efforts in Washington, D.C., and different worldwide capitals, positioning the corporate as a key influencer within the world cryptocurrency panorama.
Shirzad Discusses Crypto Coverage on Inside Affect
On February 6, 2026, Faryar Shirzad joined Inside Affect on YouTube with hosts David Castigignetti and Brody Mullins. The dialog centered on the expansion of the cryptocurrency business and the challenges digital asset firms face in navigating U.S. laws.
Shirzad mentioned how Coinbase engages with policymakers to assist form clear and sensible guidelines for the crypto sector. He highlighted the significance of collaboration between business and authorities to make sure that innovation and compliance transfer ahead collectively.
Management Model and Resolution-Making
Faryar Shirzad’s management is formed by a long time in each authorities and finance. His expertise on the White Home and the Nationwide Safety Council taught him the significance of cautious evaluation and consensus-building. At Goldman Sachs, he realized to steadiness enterprise priorities with regulatory realities. He approaches selections by weighing totally different views, specializing in sensible options, and constructing belief with each policymakers and business leaders.
Imaginative and prescient for Coverage and the Digital Asset Sector
Shirzad’s imaginative and prescient for digital property is formed by years of guiding world financial coverage and dealing intently with each governments and companies. At Coinbase, he focuses on creating guidelines that defend customers with out slowing innovation. He believes in working with governments and worldwide organizations to set clear requirements, serving to cryptocurrencies and blockchain applied sciences develop safely and responsibly worldwide.
Last Ideas
Faryar Shirzad’s journey reveals how deep expertise and considerate management can form total industries. From advising U.S. presidents and shaping world commerce coverage to main public affairs at Goldman Sachs, he has constructed a profession on the crossroads of legislation, economics, and worldwide relations. Now at Coinbase, he brings that very same perception to the fast-moving world of digital property, working to create guidelines that defend customers whereas letting innovation thrive. Shirzad’s work highlights the facility of collaboration amongst governments, companies, and communities to make sure that cryptocurrencies and blockchain applied sciences develop safely and responsibly worldwide.