In a quieter but more consequential phase, crypto is taking a new path: legitimacy through association. The most ambitious companies in the sector are no longer trying to replace the old financial order; they’re partnering with it. The latest and perhaps most visible example of this strategy is the recent collaboration between Coinbase and Samsung to bring Coinbase One, the company’s premium membership program, into the Samsung Wallet app for U.S. users. This is not the old model of crypto adoption, where users had to download an exchange app, memorize seed phrases, and navigate the volatility of trading tokens. For the 75 million Americans with a Galaxy device, this means the ability to access Coinbase’s ecosystem directly through Samsung’s own digital wallet, including a three-month free trial of Coinbase One and a $25 USDC bonus upon completing a first trade. The Samsung collaborations underscore a strategic pivot: crypto no longer needs to shout from the margins. Instead, it is embedding itself in ecosystems people already trust. As for the reality of the offering, Mark Troianovski, director and head of product partnerships at Coinbase, frames it as a kind of “choose your own adventure in crypto.” Users can send payments in USDC to friends, split bills, explore decentralized finance, or even “take a loan out against your bitcoin.” The significance is subtle but transformative. Crypto is no longer an activity; it’s a feature. It’s moving from being a separate ecosystem to becoming a layer within the existing financial stack. The company’s partnerships reinforce a feedback loop: the more established brands it works with, the more legitimate it becomes; the more legitimate it becomes, the more partnerships it can secure. In a marketplace still rebuilding its reputation, this loop is invaluable.