  It is proven that a matched pair of actions on a Hopf algebra $H$ is
equivalent to the datum of a Yetter-Drinfeld brace, which is a novel structure
generalising Hopf braces. This improves a theorem by Angiono, Galindo and
Vendramin, originally stated for cocommutative Hopf braces. These
Yetter-Drinfeld braces produce Hopf algebras in the category of Yetter-Drinfeld
modules over $H$, through an operation that generalises Majid's transmutation.
A characterisation of Yetter-Drinfeld braces via 1-cocycles, in analogy to the
one for Hopf braces, is given.
  Every coquasitriangular Hopf algebra $H$ will be seen to yield a
Yetter-Drinfeld brace, where the additional structure on $H$ is given by the
transmutation. We compute explicit examples of Yetter-Drinfeld braces on the
Sweedler's Hopf algebra, on the algebras $E(n)$, on $\mathrm{SL}_{q}(2)$, and
an example in the class of Suzuki algebras.
