Coinbase and Thunes announced a strategic collaboration on Oct. 19 at Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas, linking Coinbase’s stablecoin infrastructure with Thunes’ global fiat payout network. The arrangement is designed to connect crypto-backed payment value with local payout channels, including bank accounts and mobile wallets.
Under the partnership, Coinbase will integrate Thunes’ Direct Global Network, while Thunes will use Coinbase’s stablecoin solutions across its network, according to the companies’ announcements. The two-way setup places Coinbase’s stablecoin capabilities alongside a network built for local clearing and disbursement rather than treating stablecoins as a standalone payment endpoint.
Coinbase connects to Thunes’ Direct Global Network
Thunes said Coinbase’s integration of the Direct Global Network will provide access to local clearing systems and real-time payouts.
Coinbase will integrate Thunes’ Direct Global Network, while Thunes will use Coinbase’s stablecoin solutions across its network. In its announcement, Coinbase described the collaboration as bringing its stablecoin infrastructure together with Thunes’ fiat payout network.
The arrangement gives each company a distinct role: Coinbase supplies stablecoin solutions, and Thunes provides the infrastructure for local fiat payout access.
Local clearing systems turn stablecoin value into payout options
For Coinbase, the integration creates a route from its stablecoin layer to Thunes’ local clearing systems. Thunes said those systems support real-time transfers to bank accounts and mobile wallets, giving the partnership a distribution mechanism beyond crypto wallets.
Independent coverage characterized the deal as a two-way infrastructure arrangement, with Coinbase contributing the stablecoin layer and Thunes extending access to local fiat payouts. Crypto Briefing reported that the payout access includes regions where banking infrastructure is limited.
Mobile-wallet delivery is consequential to the structure described by the companies because it gives recipients a payout option alongside bank accounts. The announcements frame the network connection as a way to support local settlement and disbursement paths across different markets, rather than requiring every recipient to receive or use stablecoins directly.
Coinbase and Thunes co-branded announcement graphic — Source: Coinbase
Thunes cites 140-country reach and 220 payment methods
Thunes said its Direct Global Network supports real-time payments in more than 140 countries and over 90 currencies, connecting to more than 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets and bank accounts through more than 220 payment methods.
The figures represent the network’s stated infrastructure reach—not payment volume from the Coinbase arrangement. As described by Thunes, Coinbase’s integration would provide access to local clearing systems and real-time payouts to bank accounts and mobile wallets.
Supplier, gig-worker and remittance payments are the initial use cases
Coinbase and Thunes said the collaboration targets enterprise supplier payments, gig-worker payouts and international remittances.
According to the companies, the arrangement links Coinbase’s stablecoin layer with Thunes’ local fiat payout network across the markets and payment methods supported by Thunes’ network.
