California Launches Breakthrough Project with Ripple and Coinbase to Modernize Government Services

Just In: Ripple, Coinbase Join California Task Force To Boost Government Efficiency

The initiative will focus on using AI and new technologies to streamline government services and improve efficiency. Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the launch of the California Breakthrough Project, a new initiative designed to enhance government efficiency. The task force, which includes leaders from top tech companies like Ripple, Coinbase, and Moonpay, aims to help improve government services and operations across California. California Task Force Backed by Ripple, Coinbase, Moonpay The California Breakthrough Project brings together a diverse group of leaders from California's tech industry to advise on improving the state's government operations. This group, which met for the first time in June 2025 at Ripple's headquarters in San Francisco, includes figures from companies like Instacart, Snap, and Anduril, as well as investors and entrepreneurs such as Ron Conway. The task force's main goal is to foster collaboration between state decision-makers and industry leaders. Governor Newsom emphasized the importance of leveraging innovation to address inefficiencies within state government systems. "We will not shy away from progress, but embrace it for the benefit of all Californians," he stated. The initiative will focus on applying new technologies and ideas to modernize government processes, improve public services, and ensure transparency and ethical safeguards throughout the process.

California Breakthrough Project: Ripple, Coinbase Join Gavin Newsom's Plan To Reinvent State's Governance

California Governor Gavin Newsom taps Ripple, Coinbase, and other tech leaders to help modernize state operations through blockchain. | Credit: Getty Images. * Governor Gavin Newsom launches California Breakthrough Project to modernize public services with Web3 and AI. * Ripple, Coinbase, and MoonPay join alongside major tech firms like Instacart and Snap. * The initiative highlights California's ambition to lead the next wave of innovation, this time in blockchain and digital governance. California Governor Gavin Newsom is bringing crypto firms into the fold as part of a new push to modernize the state's operations. The California Breakthrough Project, announced on July 15, aims to explore how technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence can make government services more efficient and transparent. Web3 Gets a Seat at the Table in California's Next Tech Experiment Among the firms involved are Ripple, Coinbase, and MoonPay, which are joining a task force alongside other tech names like Instacart, Snap, and defense startup Anduril. According to Newsom , the idea is to tap into California's deep pool of tech talent to test new ideas that could improve basic functions like hiring, procurement, and service delivery. "As the birthplace of modern tech, our state is uniquely positioned to bring the best and the brightest together to advance our work," he said in a statement. Ripple Hosted the First Meeting -- And Likely Has a Bigger Role Ahead The task force's first meeting was held at Ripple's San Francisco office back in June, signaling that the company may have a central role in shaping early conversations. California's Breakthrough Project doesn't offer specific policy commitments yet, but it signals a broader interest in using tools like blockchain to streamline public services and improve transparency. The initiative builds on Newsom's past efforts to position California as a crypto-friendly state, including a 2022 executive order to develop a blockchain regulatory framework. What the Project Is Trying to Do While still in its early stages, the Breakthrough Project has laid out some key goals: Explore how digital tools, especially Web3 and AI, can improve government efficiency. * Encourage public-private partnerships that bring in outside expertise. * Maintain ethical standards and transparency during testing and rollout. * Study blockchain's potential in areas like identity, recordkeeping, and digital payments. The group includes government officials, labor reps, and civil society voices as well, to ensure broader accountability and oversight. It's too early to say what impact this will have on policy or public services, but California's willingness to involve crypto firms directly is a notable shift, especially at a time when federal regulators are still debating how to approach the sector.