Key Highlights
- Coinbase has launched direct BRL-USDC trading on Coinbase Advanced.
- Brazilian users can now buy and sell USDC directly using Brazilian reais.
- Coinbase said the update cuts the cost of USDC on-ramping through BRL by 85%.
Crypto exchange Coinbase has launched direct Brazilian real (BRL) trading for USDC on Coinbase Advanced, giving Brazilian users a more direct way to move between local currency and the dollar-backed stablecoin.
The exchange said the update removes an additional step from the USDC purchasing process and reduces the cost of BRL-based USDC onramping by 85%. The new trading option was announced on Wednesday as crypto platforms continue expanding local-currency access to stablecoins in Brazil.
Coinbase adds direct BRL-USDC market
Eligible users on Coinbase Advanced can now buy and sell USDC directly against the Brazilian real.
The change is aimed at simplifying access to USDC, which is widely used across crypto markets for trading, transfers, and dollar-denominated liquidity. Coinbase said the new setup reduces the cost of USDC onramping through BRL by 85%. The company did not provide a detailed breakdown of the previous and current fees in its announcement.
The reported reduction applies specifically to the BRL-to-USDC onramp, rather than all costs associated with trading or transferring USDC.
Brazil’s stablecoin market continues to develop
Coinbase’s launch comes as Brazil’s digital-asset market develops a wider range of stablecoin products.
Earlier this year, Braza Group expanded its Brazilian real-backed BBRL stablecoin to Polygon. The token is designed to support on-chain payments and transfers using an asset backed by the local currency. The model differs from USDC. BBRL is tied to the Brazilian real, while USDC is designed to maintain a dollar value.
Coinbase’s new BRL-USDC market therefore gives Brazilian users more direct access to dollar-linked liquidity rather than introducing another local-currency stablecoin.
USDC moves further into financial infrastructure
The Brazilian rollout is also part of a broader expansion in how USDC is being used across financial markets.
In July, Coinbase and Marex completed what they described as the first regulated U.S. derivatives clearing transaction using USDC as margin collateral.
The transaction followed no-action relief from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), allowing USDC to be used within a regulated derivatives clearing structure.
The development was separate from Coinbase’s Brazilian trading launch, but it illustrates the expanding range of uses for USDC beyond conventional crypto trading.
Coinbase points to growing stablecoin activity
Coinbase said stablecoins settled more than $30 trillion in transactions globally in 2025.
The company also said it processes nearly $1 trillion in stablecoin settlements annually, while Base, its Ethereum layer-2 network, processed more than $17 trillion in USDC volume during 2025.
These figures represent activity across Coinbase’s broader ecosystem and are not specific to Brazil or the newly launched BRL-USDC market.
Direct dollar access could lower conversion friction
For Brazilian users, a direct BRL-USDC market can reduce the number of conversion steps needed to obtain a dollar-linked digital asset.
USDC is used across exchanges, blockchain networks and payment applications, making access to the stablecoin relevant for users seeking dollar-denominated liquidity without holding a traditional U.S. bank account. The actual savings for users will depend on factors such as liquidity, spreads, trading volume, and account-specific fees.
Coinbase expands stablecoin access across markets
The Brazilian launch adds to Coinbase’s broader push to make USDC available across different financial and payment channels. The exchange has increasingly positioned the stablecoin as infrastructure for trading, payments and settlement, while its recent work with Marex shows how USDC is also being tested within regulated financial markets.
For Brazil, the immediate change is more straightforward: Coinbase Advanced now allows eligible users to trade BRL directly against USDC, with Coinbase reporting an 85% reduction in the cost of the onramp.
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