Coinbase Pauses Argentine Peso, Crypto Unaffected

Crypto News Exchanges

Coinbase Hits "Deliberate Pause" on Argentine Peso Operations

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: January 05, 2026

Key Takeaways

The exchange paused peso on- and off-ramps in Argentina after reviewing payment infrastructure, but will return with a new strategy;
Crypto trading services remain active and unaffected, with users able to buy, sell, and transfer digital assets as usual;
Argentina may soon let banks trade crypto directly, signaling regulatory changes after previous bans on such services in 2022.

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Coinbase Hits "Deliberate Pause" on Argentine Peso Operations

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Coinbase $2.1B has paused peso-based USDC purchases, sales and bank withdrawals in Argentina less than one year after launching local operations.

The pause starts on January 31 and aims to reassess its approach to offering fiat services in the region. Coinbase emphasized that crypto-to-crypto transactions remain available and that user assets are unaffected.

According to a Forbes Argentina report, the crypto exchange called it a "deliberate pause" to revisit its strategy and eventually return with a more sustainable offering.

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Clients have a 30-day window to complete any peso-based transactions or withdrawals before the cutoff date. After that, peso on‑ and off‑ramps for USDC USDC $1.00 will no longer be processed.

Despite the pause affecting peso services, the exchange reaffirmed that its crypto trading features remain fully functional and unaffected. Customers can still buy, sell, send and receive digital assets without interruption.

Coinbase confirmed plans to stay engaged in Argentina through Base, its Ethereum ETH $3,279.70 layer‑2 network.

It will also continue collaboration with domestic partners, including the local exchange Ripio, via Base‑related initiatives.

Ana Gabriela Ojeda noted in a post on X that such decisions often reflect underlying structural and regulatory obstacles. Challenges include unclear rules, high compliance costs, reliance on correspondent banking systems, and limited transaction volume in volatile markets.

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