The leading crypto exchange Coinbase has said it will expand access to its products to 20 African countries. Coinbase also claimed that its partnership arrangement with the Africa-focused crypto exchange Yellow Card can help increase financial freedom in countries where it is lacking.

Increasing Financial Freedom

On Jan. 11, 2024, Coinbase, the U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, announced that it will expand access to its products to 20 African countries. According to a statement by Coinbase, users from the selected African countries will be able to “purchase USDC directly in our [Coinbase] Wallet app starting in February” through its partnership with the Africa-focused stablecoin platform Yellow Card.

As part of the arrangement, Yellow Card users will be able to acquire the stablecoin USDC on the Ethereum layer two (L2) chain Base. Coinbase claims that this arrangement will benefit African users, some of whom reside in inflation-hit countries, by providing them with cheaper payments and faster transfers.

Coinbase also claimed that its partnership arrangement with Yellow Card can help increase financial freedom in countries where it is lacking.

“This partnership with its emphasis on USDC will increase economic freedom in places that have lacked it, and help stand up a modern financial system where one hasn’t existed,” the crypto exchange said.

According to Coinbase, the partnership arrangement can help enhance African users’ economic freedom by making it possible for them to send remittances at fees not exceeding 2%. Currently, many Africans remitting funds to their loved ones pay fees ranging between 3% and 6%. In addition, by providing access to the USDC, the partnership will effectively connect African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to the global financial system.

Meanwhile, Coinbase described its partnership with Yellow Card as one of its “Go Broad, Go Deep” strategies of compliant international expansion. Besides easing Coinbase’s entry into the so-called low economic freedom markets, the strategy also complements its “close engagement with local payments regulators in more mature markets.”

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