Coinbase and Ripple execs join California officials to streamline state operations

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the California Breakthrough Project on July 15, enlisting executives from Coinbase, Ripple, MoonPay, and other technology firms to help streamline state operations. 

Newsom convened the advisory group at Ripple’s San Francisco headquarters on June 6. Participants include Ripple Executive Chair Chris Larsen and unnamed executives from MoonPay and Coinbase.

The cohort will work with agency staff to pinpoint bottlenecks in procurement, hiring, and service delivery, propose challenge‑based pilots, and maintain transparency and labor consultation throughout each project phase. 

Newsom tied the initiative to California’s role in artificial intelligence (AI) research, noting that 32 of the world’s 50 largest AI companies operate in the state. He said access to that expertise enables Sacramento to test new tools quickly while respecting privacy safeguards. 

Executive order sets implementation deadlines

The governor paired the task force with Executive Order N-30-25, which instructs the Government Operations Agency to collaborate with the departments of Human Resources, General Services, and Technology on three fronts: shortening civil service hiring cycles, simplifying information technology procurement, and creating shared contracting vehicles. 

The order directs every cabinet agency to submit at least one no- or low-cost efficiency proposal within 90 days. 

The Office of Data Innovation will expand “Engaged California,” a deliberative democracy platform that crowdsources ideas from state workers. 

The office must also launch an Innovation Fellows Program that assigns selected supervisors to fix specific operational challenges by  Aug. 15. Departments are mandated to allocate dedicated time for each fellow to complete the assignment. 

Coinbase channels funds to Fairshake super PAC

Separately, Coinbase is backing federal political efforts through Fairshake, a crypto‑focused super PAC that reported $141 million in cash on hand as of June 30, journalist Eleanor Terrett wrote on July 15. 

The figure includes $52 million raised in the first half of 2025, of which Coinbase contributed $25 million. 

Fairshake has collected $109 million since Election Day 2024, and a spokesperson said the group “remains focused on building lasting support for crypto and blockchain innovation.”

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