Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said stablecoins allow people worldwide to hold dollars and other major fiat currencies and transfer them instantly across borders for less than 1 cent. In an X post on Nov. 6, 2026, Armstrong described an existing capability rather than announcing a Coinbase product, blockchain, payment provider or fee change. The statement did not clarify whether the sub-cent figure includes conversion or cash-out costs. Stablecoin payment infrastructure typically involves funding an account, converting funds into tokens, settling on a network and delivering the balance to a recipient or cash-out service. Coinbase’s Base describes use cases including international payroll, remittances, merchant payments and continuous settlement, while Nium’s April integration with Coinbase supports stablecoin transfers and conversion into traditional currencies across a network serving more than 190 countries. Critics said public blockchains can expose balances and payment relationships, and noted that centralized issuers can restrict access. Tether’s sanctions policy and Circle’s USDC terms reserve powers to freeze or block transfers in specified circumstances. Privacy-focused tools, including Polygon’s Hinkal integration for private USDC and USDT transfers, seek to reduce public visibility while retaining transaction screening. Coinbase and PPRO have also pursued merchant acceptance, beginning in the United States with payments from hundreds of wallets, no gas fees for buyers and continuous settlement for merchants.