Coinbase is making waves in the crypto world again, this time by embedding powerful onchain financial tools right into its main app. If you're into blockchain and looking for ways to level up your game—whether that's earning yields, borrowing funds, or diving into meme token trades—this update is a game-changer.

In a recent post on X, Max Branzburg, a product lead at Coinbase, highlighted the new features. Users can now lend USDC (that's USD Coin, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar) and earn around 11% APY. APY stands for Annual Percentage Yield, which is basically the interest you earn over a year, including compounding. That's a solid return compared to traditional savings accounts.

On the flip side, if you need liquidity without selling your Bitcoin, you can borrow USDC against your BTC holdings at about 7% interest. This is collateralized lending, where your crypto acts as security for the loan—common in DeFi (Decentralized Finance) but now simplified in the Coinbase app.

And for traders? The app opens up trading for tens of thousands of assets. Under the hood, as Branzburg explained in a reply, this leverages self-custodial wallets, DEXs (Decentralized Exchanges), and lending protocols on the Base blockchain. Base is an Ethereum Layer 2 network built by Coinbase, known for low fees and fast transactions, making it a hotspot for meme tokens and other emerging assets.

For meme token enthusiasts, this means easier access to trading quirky, community-driven coins without jumping through hoops. No need for separate wallets or apps—everything's streamlined for Coinbase's massive user base of over 100 million people. It's like bringing DeFi to the masses, abstracting away the complexities so anyone can participate.

This move aligns perfectly with the growing trend of onchain finance, where transactions happen directly on the blockchain for transparency and efficiency. If you're a blockchain practitioner or just curious about meme tokens, keeping an eye on Base via Coinbase could uncover the next big opportunity. Stay tuned as more features roll out, potentially including real-world asset integrations or even stock trading onchain, as hinted in community replies.