Our mission at Base is to build a global economy that increases innovation, creativity, and freedom. To do this, we need more founders to build onchain businesses so that anyone, anywhere can participate in the global economy.

That’s why this week’s announcement from Y Combinator is so important. Y Combinator will now let startups receive their $500k funding in stablecoins, signaling strong belief in crypto as core Fintech infrastructure. With growing adoption, regulation, and real-world use, YC expects most startups to integrate crypto, and is encouraging onchain founders to apply in Spring ’26.

Request for Startups: Fintech 3.0, created in collaboration with Base and Coinbase Ventures, invites founders to build entirely new financial systems onchain. With new policy developments such as the GENIUS Act aiming to provide greater regulatory clarity, mature infrastructure that processes <1 second, <1 cent payments globally, and growing consumer adoption proven by billions in stablecoin settlements, founders may find new opportunities to build onchain.

Three major shifts have aligned to make this the moment for onchain finance:

- Regulatory clarity: The GENIUS Act is designed to establish a federal framework for stablecoins in the US, similar to the system that banks already use. Since it went into effect, the stablecoin market cap has grown by over $30 billion, and major companies like Amazon and Walmart have signaled interest in exploring stablecoin initiatives. For years, regulatory uncertainty was the main obstacle. Now, founders can build more confidently, with clearer rules of the road.

- Infrastructure maturity: Layer 2 chains have matured significantly, making it easier, faster, and cheaper for developers to build, and for people anywhere to transact onchain. This year, Base achieved its north star of <1 second, <1 cent transactions and now has nearly $15 billion in assets on platform – proving that L2s can power money movement at scale.

- Market demand: Real-world crypto adoption is growing rapidly. DEX activity is at an all-time high, with Aerodrome alone averaging $700M+ in daily trading volume on Base in recent weeks. YC alumni like Kontigo and DolarApp serve millions of people in local markets across Latin America. Coinbase Ventures-backed El Dorado has processed $200 million for nearly 1 million users in just the past year. And the broader numbers support this: 560 million people using crypto worldwide and $30 trillion in stablecoin settlements last year (3x YoY growth).

To build a global economy, Base is committed to bringing financial assets onchain, enabling faster, cheaper, near-instant settlement on onchain rails. Traditional finance moves slowly because it was built decades ago. ACH transfers take days, wire transfers are expensive, and foreign exchange fees eat into every transaction across borders. Building on Base’s onchain rails unlocks:

- Instant global settlement: Anyone can send USDC anywhere in the world in under one second for less than one cent. Companies like Shopify are already taking advantage of this, with Coinbase and Shopify partnering together to bring USDC payments on Base to millions of merchants worldwide. 

- Always-on markets: DeFi protocols operate 24/7 without downtime, enabling instant global transactions at internet speed. On Base, users can swap USDC and EURC with a 0.05% fee through Aerodrome, compared to traditional forex markets that cost up to 3% and take days to settle.

- Programmable money: Crypto creates new financial primitives impossible in traditional systems. Smart contracts can automatically execute complex financial logic, from streaming payments that flow continuously to AI agents that can hold and manage assets.

YC highlighted three areas where there’s massive potential for founders to build:

1. Stablecoins

Dollar stablecoins proved the model. But the next wave is local currency stablecoins and products that let people get the benefits of crypto without defaulting to the dollar. We’re already seeing momentum: EURC, QCAD, IDRX, and 20+ other local currency stablecoins have launched on Base independently. Together, stablecoins on Base account for more than $6B in value. That demand is just the beginning.

Founders can build across the entire stack. Better on / off ramps, savings products for emerging markets, or tools that help traditional businesses accept stablecoin payments. The prize is huge: Bringing global financial stability to billions.

2. Tokenization and Trading

The same rails that make stablecoins work apply to every asset, radically changing what they are and who can own them. Assets that have historically been illiquid and locked behind layers of middlemen can now be owned, traded, and used by anyone, anywhere. The assets with the most friction and middlemen today have the most to gain from moving onchain.

Think programmable equity tokens for stock options. Global access to stocks, ETFs, and private credit markets. It’s already happening: J.P. Morgan just launched USD-backed deposit tokens (JPMD) on Base through Kinexys, enabling institutional clients to settle payments instantly at a fraction of a cent.

3. Apps and Agents

The next great consumer platforms won’t be built on walled gardens. They’ll be built onchain, because this enables true ownership, direct creator monetization, and composable experiences built on shared and open rails. The Base app is built on open protocols and brings together a social network, app discovery, chat, payments, and trading all in one place. On Base, you own what you create and earn from what you do. On most social media apps, you're the product, but on Base, you're in control and can earn money directly from your content.

AI + wallets is another frontier. Clanker, an autonomous AI agent on Base, instantly launches tokens for users through simple text commands, generating over $13 million in revenue in its first five months. We’re seeing AI agents like Bankr execute trades, Byte AI order food, Onit create prediction markets, and Ohara write code to build apps.

If you’re building for this new reality, or have an even bigger vision for what this new era of Fintech unlocks, we want to hear from you. Together, YC, Base, and Coinbase Ventures are excited to support developers building onchain.

Apply here for the next YC batch.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, or investment advice. References to legislation, companies, or third-party projects are provided for context only and do not constitute an endorsement by Base, Coinbase, or Coinbase Ventures. Base provides open and neutral infrastructure; third-party projects mentioned are independent from Base.

Our mission at Base is to build a global economy that increases innovation, creativity, and freedom. To do this, we need more founders to build onchain businesses so that anyone, anywhere can participate in the global economy.

That’s why this week’s announcement from Y Combinator is so important. Y Combinator will now let startups receive their $500k funding in stablecoins, signaling strong belief in crypto as core Fintech infrastructure. With growing adoption, regulation, and real-world use, YC expects most startups to integrate crypto, and is encouraging onchain founders to apply in Spring ’26.

Request for Startups: Fintech 3.0, created in collaboration with Base and Coinbase Ventures, invites founders to build entirely new financial systems onchain. With new policy developments such as the GENIUS Act aiming to provide greater regulatory clarity, mature infrastructure that processes <1 second, <1 cent payments globally, and growing consumer adoption proven by billions in stablecoin settlements, founders may find new opportunities to build onchain.

Three major shifts have aligned to make this the moment for onchain finance:

- Regulatory clarity: The GENIUS Act is designed to establish a federal framework for stablecoins in the US, similar to the system that banks already use. Since it went into effect, the stablecoin market cap has grown by over $30 billion, and major companies like Amazon and Walmart have signaled interest in exploring stablecoin initiatives. For years, regulatory uncertainty was the main obstacle. Now, founders can build more confidently, with clearer rules of the road.

- Infrastructure maturity: Layer 2 chains have matured significantly, making it easier, faster, and cheaper for developers to build, and for people anywhere to transact onchain. This year, Base achieved its north star of <1 second, <1 cent transactions and now has nearly $15 billion in assets on platform – proving that L2s can power money movement at scale.

- Market demand: Real-world crypto adoption is growing rapidly. DEX activity is at an all-time high, with Aerodrome alone averaging $700M+ in daily trading volume on Base in recent weeks. YC alumni like Kontigo and DolarApp serve millions of people in local markets across Latin America. Coinbase Ventures-backed El Dorado has processed $200 million for nearly 1 million users in just the past year. And the broader numbers support this: 560 million people using crypto worldwide and $30 trillion in stablecoin settlements last year (3x YoY growth).

To build a global economy, Base is committed to bringing financial assets onchain, enabling faster, cheaper, near-instant settlement on onchain rails. Traditional finance moves slowly because it was built decades ago. ACH transfers take days, wire transfers are expensive, and foreign exchange fees eat into every transaction across borders. Building on Base’s onchain rails unlocks:

- Instant global settlement: Anyone can send USDC anywhere in the world in under one second for less than one cent. Companies like Shopify are already taking advantage of this, with Coinbase and Shopify partnering together to bring USDC payments on Base to millions of merchants worldwide. 

- Always-on markets: DeFi protocols operate 24/7 without downtime, enabling instant global transactions at internet speed. On Base, users can swap USDC and EURC with a 0.05% fee through Aerodrome, compared to traditional forex markets that cost up to 3% and take days to settle.

- Programmable money: Crypto creates new financial primitives impossible in traditional systems. Smart contracts can automatically execute complex financial logic, from streaming payments that flow continuously to AI agents that can hold and manage assets.

YC highlighted three areas where there’s massive potential for founders to build:

1. Stablecoins

Dollar stablecoins proved the model. But the next wave is local currency stablecoins and products that let people get the benefits of crypto without defaulting to the dollar. We’re already seeing momentum: EURC, QCAD, IDRX, and 20+ other local currency stablecoins have launched on Base independently. Together, stablecoins on Base account for more than $6B in value. That demand is just the beginning.

Founders can build across the entire stack. Better on / off ramps, savings products for emerging markets, or tools that help traditional businesses accept stablecoin payments. The prize is huge: Bringing global financial stability to billions.

2. Tokenization and Trading

The same rails that make stablecoins work apply to every asset, radically changing what they are and who can own them. Assets that have historically been illiquid and locked behind layers of middlemen can now be owned, traded, and used by anyone, anywhere. The assets with the most friction and middlemen today have the most to gain from moving onchain.

Think programmable equity tokens for stock options. Global access to stocks, ETFs, and private credit markets. It’s already happening: J.P. Morgan just launched USD-backed deposit tokens (JPMD) on Base through Kinexys, enabling institutional clients to settle payments instantly at a fraction of a cent.

3. Apps and Agents

The next great consumer platforms won’t be built on walled gardens. They’ll be built onchain, because this enables true ownership, direct creator monetization, and composable experiences built on shared and open rails. The Base app is built on open protocols and brings together a social network, app discovery, chat, payments, and trading all in one place. On Base, you own what you create and earn from what you do. On most social media apps, you're the product, but on Base, you're in control and can earn money directly from your content.

AI + wallets is another frontier. Clanker, an autonomous AI agent on Base, instantly launches tokens for users through simple text commands, generating over $13 million in revenue in its first five months. We’re seeing AI agents like Bankr execute trades, Byte AI order food, Onit create prediction markets, and Ohara write code to build apps.

If you’re building for this new reality, or have an even bigger vision for what this new era of Fintech unlocks, we want to hear from you. Together, YC, Base, and Coinbase Ventures are excited to support developers building onchain.

Apply here for the next YC batch.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, or investment advice. References to legislation, companies, or third-party projects are provided for context only and do not constitute an endorsement by Base, Coinbase, or Coinbase Ventures. Base provides open and neutral infrastructure; third-party projects mentioned are independent from Base.