CoinDesk
Nasdaq-listed Coinbase has secured UK regulatory approval to offer equities and derivatives alongside crypto, expanding its product suite in one of its largest international markets. The new license lets institutional and advanced traders access crypto, equity, and commodity perpetual futures, while UK retail customers will be able to trade equities on Coinbase for the first time.
The authorization sits on top of Coinbase's existing UK e-money license and crypto registration, the latter of which the firm received from the FCA in February 2024. That existing stack already lets Coinbase offer crypto and fiat services in the country; the new authorization layers traditional markets on top of it.
Why it matters
The approval is a meaningful step in Coinbase's push to become an "Everything Exchange," a strategy that pulls stocks, crypto derivatives, tokenized products, prediction markets, and consumer finance under one roof. UK users are now getting access to products Coinbase has already begun rolling out overseas: US customers have access to stock and ETF trading, while eligible non-US customers can trade USDC-settled stock perpetual futures on large-cap names including Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. Coinbase has also said it plans to offer tokenized stocks backed one-for-one by US equities to eligible non-US users, with the underlying shares and dividends included.
The timing matters too. The UK's full crypto framework is expected to take effect in October 2027, and this authorization gives Coinbase a regulated route to expand beyond crypto before that regime lands. For a market that has historically been cautious on retail crypto access, that runway is itself a competitive advantage.
Market impact
For Coinbase, the UK becomes the clearest international template for blending TradFi rails with crypto-native products. Institutional desks operating in London can now run a single venue across crypto, equities, and commodity perps, and retail users get an equities on-ramp that US customers already have.
Frequently asked questions
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What did Coinbase just get approved to do in the UK?
Coinbase secured UK regulatory approval to offer equities and derivatives alongside crypto. Institutional and advanced traders can access crypto, equity, and commodity perpetual futures, and UK retail customers can trade equities on Coinbase for the first time.
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How does this fit Coinbase's broader strategy?
It advances Coinbase's "Everything Exchange" push, which folds stocks, crypto derivatives, tokenized products, prediction markets, and consumer finance products under one venue. UK users are now gaining access to products Coinbase already ships overseas.
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What UK licenses does Coinbase already hold?
Coinbase already holds a UK e-money license and crypto registration, the latter granted by the FCA in February 2024. The new authorization layers traditional markets on top of those existing permissions.
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What is the timing of the UK's broader crypto rules?
The UK's full crypto framework is expected to take effect in October 2027. The new authorization gives Coinbase a regulated route to expand beyond crypto ahead of that regime.
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What other products has Coinbase rolled out to non-US users?
Eligible non-US customers can already trade USDC-settled stock perpetual futures on large-cap names including Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. Coinbase has also said it plans to offer tokenized stocks backed one-for-one by US equities, including the underlying dividends.
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