Coinbase Expands DEX to 84 Countries, Papua New Guinea Included in Global Expansion

Coinbase takes a new step in its global expansion strategy by making decentralized trading accessible to users in 84 countries. This expansion, which includes Papua New Guinea and spans from Africa to Asia, marks a major turning point for the platform aiming to democratize access to digital assets on the blockchain.

The American cryptocurrency exchange giant continues its ambitious all-around integration project by connecting users directly with decentralized liquidity pools. Instead of limiting itself to the approximately 300 assets traditionally listed on centralized platforms, this new feature opens the doors to millions of tokens created on blockchain networks.

An Everything Exchange strategy crossing borders

Brian Armstrong, Coinbase’s founder, expressed in March his ambition to make his platform’s vision of an “Everything Exchange” a global reality. This statement fits into a broader logic: transforming Coinbase into a one-stop shop for all investment needs.

“Crypto creates economic freedom,” Armstrong said, justifying this expansion. Since announcing its strategy in fall 2025, the company has gradually extended its services far beyond traditional cryptocurrency borders. At the same time, Coinbase launched commission-free trading of U.S. stocks and ETFs, allowing users to manage stocks and digital assets within a single account.

Integrated DEX and access to millions of tokens

The platform primarily operates via Base, Coinbase’s proprietary layer 2 network, while supporting major Ethereum and Solana networks. Users perform their trades through an integrated self-custody wallet, meaning each transaction occurs directly on the blockchain. This architecture maintains full control of assets by the user, eliminating intermediaries.

The contrast with the traditional model is striking: while centralized exchanges offer a few hundred pre-selected assets, this decentralized approach provides instant access to most tokens launched on blockchain networks, with no entry barriers.

From Africa to Asia: expansion across 84 markets

The 84 countries or territories covered by this expansion include major regions: the entire Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), most Sub-Saharan African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa), large parts of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia), South Asia (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka), as well as Pacific territories like Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Macau.

This coverage also extends to the Americas, with significant presence in Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina) and the Caribbean. For each region, users now access the same DEX infrastructure without regional distinctions.

Asset tokenization and long-term vision

Beyond decentralized trading, Coinbase envisions a deeper transformation: tokenization of stocks. This project would allow investors worldwide to trade the same securities continuously, without the time constraints of traditional stock markets. Tokenized stocks could also interact with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, creating a borderless financial ecosystem.

To realize this vision, Coinbase has formed strategic partnerships. The collaboration with Apex Fintech Solutions facilitates stock and ETF trading, while integration with Yahoo Finance enhances the user experience in researching and tracking traditional assets.

A paradigm shift for global markets

This expansion is much more than just geographic growth. It reflects a transformation in the relationship with digital assets, especially in regions where financial infrastructure remains fragmented or hard to access. By directly connecting users to liquidity pools, Coinbase eliminates intermediaries and reduces transaction costs.

For investors in Papua New Guinea and the other 83 supported countries, this means equal access to the same opportunities available in Western markets, while maintaining sovereignty over their assets through self-custody wallets.