Coinbase Tokenized Stocks Go Live as Collateral on Aave V4

RWA Signal Insight
StocksCoinbase has launched seven tokenized U.S. equities—including AAPLc, AMZNc, and NVDAc—as collateral on the Aave V4 protocol deployed on the Base blockchain. These tokens, issued by Coinbase Onchain SPV Ltd and backed by shares held at Alpaca Securities LLC, allow users to borrow USDC against their equity positions without triggering a taxable sale. The integration utilizes Chainlink oracles for pricing and features a total return mechanism where dividends and stock splits are automatically reinvested. This development marks a significant milestone in the RWA sector by enabling traditional stock exposure to function as active DeFi collateral. While currently restricted to jurisdictions outside the United States, the move aims to bridge a $150 trillion global equities market with onchain lending. The system operates 24/7, though reserves pause during corporate actions to adjust multipliers. Future plans include expanding the list of supported equities and integrating the GHO stablecoin into the lending ecosystem.
Key points
- Seven Coinbase tokenized equities are now live as collateral on Aave V4 on Base.
- Chainlink provides official pricing data for the tokenized stocks via 24/5 feeds.
- Tokens represent actual equity ownership held by Alpaca Securities LLC in segregated accounts.
- The integration allows users to borrow USDC against stock positions without selling assets.
Background
Aave is a leading decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol that enables users to lend and borrow a wide range of crypto assets through algorithmic liquidity pools. The platform utilizes smart contracts to manage collateralization and interest rates, allowing for permissionless access to credit markets. Aave V4 represents the latest iteration of the protocol, designed to enhance capital efficiency and support the integration of diverse real-world assets.