Coinbase Expands into Social and Payments with Launch of Base App

Coinbase has taken a significant step beyond its traditional wallet services with the launch of its Base App, unveiled during the "A New Day One" event on July 16, 2025. The app, currently in beta and available to waitlisted users, aims to serve as an all-in-one platform integrating social feeds, payments, and trading. This strategic move positions Coinbase as a unified gateway to onchain applications, leveraging its existing infrastructure while expanding into new functionalities. The Base App features social feeds powered by Farcaster, enabling tokenized content creation, which could revolutionize how users interact with digital assets and social media. This development underscores Coinbase's commitment to innovation and its bullish outlook on the future of decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3. By combining social, payments, and trading into a single platform, Coinbase is poised to attract a broader audience, further solidifying its leadership in the cryptocurrency space. The launch comes at a time when the crypto market is experiencing renewed interest, and Coinbase's expansion could capitalize on this momentum, driving adoption and engagement across its ecosystem.

Coinbase Launches Base App as All-in-One Social, Payments, and Trading Platform

Coinbase unveiled its Base App during the "A New Day One" event on July 16, marking a strategic expansion beyond traditional wallet services. The beta rollout targets waitlisted users, positioning the platform as a unified gateway to onchain applications while maintaining tight integration with Coinbase's infrastructure.

The app integrates social feeds powered by Farcaster, enabling tokenized content creation via Zora and real-time trade tracking. A one-tap USDC payment system, Base Pay, facilitates near-instant transactions, including NFC-based payments and Shopify merchant support. Embedded mini-apps span DeFi tools, games, and prediction markets.

Users gain a portable Base Account smart contract wallet with cross-chain functionality, while XMTP protocol handles encrypted messaging. This move signals Coinbase's ambition to consolidate fragmented crypto interactions into a single consumer-facing interface.

Coinbase Stock Hits Record High Amid Crypto Week Legislative Wins

Coinbase shares surged to an all-time high of $444 on Friday, capping a 70% year-to-date rally as the crypto sector celebrated a landmark legislative week in Washington. The gains coincided with the House passing three pivotal bills—GENIUS, CLARITY, and Anti-CBDC Surveillance—with President TRUMP poised to sign the GENIUS bill into law.

The broader crypto market capitalization briefly eclipsed $4 trillion, reflecting institutional confidence fueled by regulatory clarity. Coinbase's momentum was further bolstered by its recent launch of the Base app, a USDC-powered platform replacing its legacy wallet.

U.S. Banks Brace for $6.6 Trillion Deposit Flight as Stablecoins Gain Legal Clarity

The GENIUS Act has become law, setting regulatory ground rules for stablecoins in the United States. President Donald Trump's signature follows a 308-122 House vote, crystallizing Washington's approach to dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies. Treasury Department analysts warn the legislation could trigger up to $6.6 trillion in bank deposit outflows if stablecoin issuers compete directly with traditional savings products.

Banks face existential threats to their payment dominance, particularly in cross-border transactions where stablecoins offer near-instant settlement without correspondent banking fees. Despite the GENIUS Act's prohibition on interest payments, crypto firms like Coinbase continue offering 4.10% rewards on USD Coin holdings through creative yield-sharing arrangements with issuer Circle.