Coinbase accelerates its transformation into an all-in-one platform with stock derivatives

Continuous access to financial markets is becoming a central issue for crypto platforms. Moreover, many investors seek exposure to U.S. stocks outside traditional trading hours. Thus, derivative products are gradually establishing themselves as a flexible solution to circumvent these constraints. In this context, Coinbase has launched perpetual futures contracts on stocks for non-U.S. traders, thereby strengthening its strategy to offer continuous, 24/7 access to different asset classes.

Perpetual futures contracts on stocks : Coinbase expands its derivatives offering

The centralized exchange platform (CEX) Coinbase announced that these contracts allow synthetic exposure with leverage. Indeed, users can trade price variations without directly owning the stocks. Moreover, these products operate continuously, without interruption related to stock exchange hours.

In its blog published Friday, Coinbase indicates that this offer does not yet apply to U.S. residents. However, the company states it is working on a progressive expansion to other regions. Thus, this launch is part of a global international deployment strategy.

24/7 access to U.S. stocks and ETFs via Coinbase

With these perpetual futures contracts on stocks, Coinbase offers a selection of highly liquid U.S. assets, accessible 24/7. Among them are Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and Tesla. Additionally, some ETFs like SPY and QQQ are also available, subject to regulatory constraints.

This continuous availability meets growing market demand. Indeed, many traders seek to operate outside traditional hours. Until now, this activity mainly developed on decentralized platforms. Now, the Coinbase exchange integrates it within a centralized and regulated framework.

How Coinbase perpetual futures contracts on stocks work

Coinbase details several features related to these contracts. First, users can use leverage up to 10x on stocks and 20x on some ETFs. Next, these instruments offer synthetic exposure without direct ownership of the underlying assets.

Additionally, positions are settled in USDC, which facilitates use within the crypto ecosystem. Coinbase also introduces a cross-margin system between spot markets and derivatives. Thus, traders can manage their capital more flexibly.

Finally, access is provided via Coinbase Advanced for individuals, while Coinbase International Exchange targets institutions. This setup addresses different user profiles.

A strategy towards a unified crypto and financial platform

This launch is part of a broader roadmap. Coinbase seeks to build a platform capable of grouping multiple asset classes. Indeed, Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO, had already expressed this ambition last January in a post on X. He stated then that the priority remained the development of a global platform covering spot, derivatives, and other financial instruments.

Continuing this, in February, the platform announced that stock trading became accessible to U.S. residents via a partnership with Yahoo Finance. Users can thus trade stocks and ETFs 24/5 in the same place as their cryptocurrencies.

Finally, Coinbase relies on its existing infrastructure, notably stablecoins and its Base network. Gradually, the platform develops an environment where users can navigate between different markets without interruption.