Connecting Ahmad to the Global Economy

Ahmad Sherif is a freelance software developer who lives in Cairo, Egypt. He’s an avid Ruby developer and wants to remain in Cairo, despite the fact that the local market offers limited opportunities for his skill set.

Fortunately for Ahmad, there are a number of online platforms that allow freelancers like him to connect with clients who need their skills and expertise. However, these platforms are generally integrated with payment providers in a limited number of countries, making it impossible for Ahmad to get paid from clients in certain countries. Cross-border transfers are also typically initiated via international wire transfers, which charge high fees and can greatly reduce earnings.

Ahmad recently joined Codementor, a live 1:1 help marketplace for developers to provide on-demand support for fellow developers across the globe. Thanks to Codementor’s integration with Coinbase, Ahmad can now get paid from customers anywhere in the world without paying those exorbitant fees. Codementor connects Ahmad with developers who need his help, and Coinbase allows him get paid quickly, securely and cheaply for that work. This week, he’ll be working with and be getting paid by clients in the US, Australia, and Japan.

We’re excited to integrate with Codementor to allow Ahmad — and developers like him in 190 different countries — to use the Bitcoin network to get paid efficiently from customers around the world. If you’re building an online marketplace and would like to help connect more people to the global economy, we’d love to talk to you as well. Reach out to us at merchants@coinbase.com.