According to Shopify and Coinbase, Shopify Payments will integrate USDC on Coinbase's Ethereum layer-2 Base network, beginning with a limited rollout on June 12 for early access merchants and expanding to all users later this year. Merchants can accept USDC payments while receiving local currency settlements without foreign transaction fees, and customers will earn 1% cash back with USDC payments launching later in 2024. This initiative aims to streamline global commerce, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency, potentially increasing demand for USDC and Ethereum (ETH) based assets due to Base's low-cost, high-speed infrastructure. (Source: Shopify and Coinbase announcement)

According to Pedro Gomes on Twitter, WalletConnect has officially integrated with Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain developed by Coinbase. This integration enables seamless connectivity for decentralized applications, wallets, and DeFi protocols on the Base network, streamlining user experience and transaction flows (source: Pedro Gomes on Twitter, May 20, 2025). For traders, this means reduced transaction friction and increased liquidity across Base-based assets, potentially driving higher trading volumes and attracting new users to Base's DeFi ecosystem. The move also positions Base as a more competitive Layer 2 solution, which may impact the price action of tokens associated with the Base ecosystem and influence cross-chain trading strategies.