Coinbase Shakes Up Crypto: US Customers Can Now Trade on DEX via Base L2 Network
Coinbase just flipped the script—American traders finally get a front-row seat to decentralized exchanges. No more workarounds, no sketchy VPNs. Just seamless DEX access powered by their in-house Base L2.
Why it matters: The 'not your keys, not your crypto' crowd just lost their favorite excuse. Coinbase bridges the gap between CeFi convenience and DeFi sovereignty—while quietly pocketing those sweet, sweet network fees.
The kicker? Wall Street still thinks 'DEX' is a detergent brand. Meanwhile, Base L2's TVL quietly pumps 20% on the news—because nothing screams adoption like legacy finance's confusion.
Coinbase set to allow decentralized exchange trading for US customers
Coinbase revealed on Friday that it is expanding the range of tokens available on its platform after rolling out DEX trading support for US customers, except for those in New York.
"Coinbase is now unlocking a new era of access, going from just 300 assets yesterday to millions before long," the company wrote in a statement on Friday.
Coinbase plans to permit immediate trading of newly created tokens on the Base blockchain via the Coinbase app. It added that the new initiative will block tokens identified as malicious or fraudulent from being listed.
"At launch, users will be able to discover and trade a growing list of Base-native tokens, including assets from leading projects like Virtuals AI Agents, Reserve Protocol DTFs, SoSo Value Indices, Auki Labs and Super Champs," Coinbase stated.
The company plans to gradually add support for several Base-native DEX tokens over the coming weeks and aims to expand to other blockchains, starting with Solana.
It also stated that it will provide an integrated self-custody wallet to simplify the trading process and sponsor all network fees for users.
Additionally, Coinbase said it plans to expand beyond US shores and provide its DEX services to users in other countries.
The move comes on the back of an expansion effort from the company in 2025. The exchange acquired crypto options trading platform Deribit for $2.9 billion in May to broaden its user base.
Coinbase also partnered with PNC Bank to offer retail and institutional clients access to cryptocurrency services through its Crypto‑as‑a‑Service (CaaS) platform, enabling them to buy, sell, and hold digital assets.
COIN saw a slight decline on Friday despite the announcement, extending its losses to 2.7% over the past five days.
