US-listed cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (COIN) is introducing stock trading and prediction markets, along with a number of other new products and assets aimed at solidifying the platform’s position as an “Everything Exchange,” the company announced in a system update stream on Wednesday.
Coinbase said it has more integrations in the future, starting with Kalsi, and is dramatically expanding the assets that can be traded on its platform, including new cryptocurrencies, perpetual futures, stocks, and prediction markets.
Providing users with a Swiss Army Knife trading platform has become a competitive field these days. Some of Coinbase’s major crypto trading rivals, including Robinhood, Kraken and Gemini, have started offering tokenized stocks for users outside the US and are also exploring prediction markets.
According to the blog, the main Coinbase app offers “a simple interface for trading futures and PERP, the ability to trade all Solana assets immediately after creation, major token sales, and the global launch of the Base app.”
The U.S. regulatory environment has evolved significantly in recent years, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tacitly allowing full-time trading of some stocks tokenized on blockchain.
Stock confirmation
Max Brandsberg, head of consumer and business products at Coinbase, said there is no list of stocks available for trading at launch as it is still subject to change. But hundreds of top stocks will be selected based on market capitalization, trading volume and other metrics, with plans to add thousands more stocks and ETFs in the coming months, Bransberg said in an email.
This is an integration that simplifies portfolio management, allowing Coinbase users to buy, sell, and manage their crypto portfolios in USD or USDC, as well as stocks and ETFs, all within one Coinbase app and account, the exchange said in a blog post.
“Traders will be able to trade without the constraints of traditional market hours and with zero commissions. Trade major stocks 24 hours a day, 5 days a week,” the post continued. “We plan to add thousands more to our inventory over the coming months.”
Early next year, Coinbase plans to expand its permanent holdings and give non-U.S. traders capital-efficient access to U.S. stocks 24/7 through its app, Coinbase said.
The move will be facilitated by Coinbase Tokenize, the companies’ new end-to-end institutional platform for tokenizing real-world assets, and will enhance retail access to tokenized stocks on the exchange.
For example, when asked about the basics of the tokenization process, the regulatory status of equity tokens and their custody in relation to Central Securities Depositories (CSDs), Branzberg said in an email:
“What we are really focused on is enabling RWA and tokenized assets. The mechanisms to make that happen are currently underway and more specific details will be shared soon. Our regulatory rigor uniquely positions us as a leader as this space matures.”
Prediction Market, Perps, Solana DEX
Starting with the integration of $11 billion worth prediction market provider Kalashi, Coinbase users will be able to trade the outcomes of real-world events such as elections, sports, collectibles, and economic indicators at event contract prices determined by the collective trading activity of market participants.
Coinbase also said it has simplified derivatives trading, allowing users to make larger moves with less initial capital and take advantage of more favorable tax incentives when trading across crypto markets and products.
“From cryptocurrencies to commodities to stock indexes, there are more than 30 futures and PERP contracts in the U.S., with plans to expand to hundreds more contracts over time,” Brunsberg said in an email. “As of this week, we currently offer perpetual-style futures contracts for 15 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, and those listed here.”
Coinbase has announced that it will be expanding its decentralized exchange (DEX) trading integration to include access to Solana tokens, rolling out in the coming weeks. The main exchange app integrates the popular Solana DEX aggregator Jupiter, allowing users to securely exchange tokens without leaving the app.
Coinbase Business and Asset Management
Additionally, Coinbase Business, a financial platform designed for crypto startups and small businesses, will be available to all eligible businesses in the US and Singapore, the exchange posted.
“We enable our users to send and receive payments globally using payment links and invoices, manage their crypto assets through Coinbase Advanced, and access Coinbase’s regulated infrastructure to automate their financial workflows,” it said in a blog post.
The exchange is also promoting a new AI-based asset management tool called Coinbase Advisor, which the exchange says bridges the gap between idea and execution. Coinbase said quality financial guidance is not a luxury, but a standard for everyone.
“Instead of manually combining trades, users can simply tell the AI their goals and questions: ‘Build my portfolio,’ ‘What’s the latest market news and how does it impact me?’ – and get personalized answers with recommendations powered by the products, data, and tools available at Coinbase,” the post added.
Base, Coinbase’s popular Ethereum overlay blockchain, is now global and officially available in over 140 countries. There has been speculation among analysts, who have been aware of upcoming product announcements, that the upgrade to the Base network could say something about the release of a native blockchain token.
“We continue to explore the potential of the Base token, but we do not have any updates to share at this time,” Branzburg said.
