Coinbase Launches 24/5 U.S. Stock Trading for UK Users

Coinbase secured UK authorization under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive on July 7, 2026, allowing the US-listed exchange to expand beyond spot crypto trading into regulated investment services. The approval is strategically important because the Financial Conduct Authority has barred the sale of crypto derivatives to retail consumers since 2021, leaving professional clients as the addressable market. The move also advances Coinbase’s push to build an “Everything Exchange” and broaden fee revenue beyond the more cyclical spot business.

Coinbase opened the service to qualifying UK professional investors on Aug. 11, offering futures, perpetual contracts and options across cryptocurrencies, commodities, equities and foreign exchange. The initial lineup spans more than 170 contracts, with leverage of as much as 50 times on selected crypto perpetuals. Trading is not available to UK retail customers. The launch follows the July authorization and gives institutional and sophisticated investors access to a wider derivatives suite through Coinbase’s regulated framework.

Coinbase, whose core business has been spot cryptocurrency trading, is working to create an “everything exchange” that combines digital assets and traditional securities in a single account. The UK is a major overseas market for the company, but its CB Payments unit was fined £3,503,546 by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on July 23, 2024, for serving high-risk customers. Securing broader authorization therefore carries both regulatory and commercial significance.

Coinbase announced on July 7, 2026, that it had secured FCA authorization to provide investment services under a MiFID license, marking its largest-ever product expansion in the UK. UK retail customers will be able to trade equities on Coinbase for the first time, while institutional and advanced traders will gain access to perpetual contracts linked to cryptocurrencies, equities and commodities. The company said the products would be rolled out gradually but did not provide a firm launch date.

Coinbase, historically focused on cryptocurrency trading, unveiled its “Everything Exchange” strategy in December 2025 and has since added prediction markets and traditional securities. Its expansion into U.S. stocks and ETFs is aimed at reducing the company's exposure to Bitcoin market cycles. By combining digital assets and equities in a single account, Coinbase is directly challenging retail brokerages such as Robinhood.

On February 24, 2026, Coinbase opened trading in about 6,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs to all eligible users nationwide, with the lineup expected to exceed 8,000 within weeks. The commission-free service operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, offers fractional shares starting at $1 and allows instant funding in U.S. dollars or USDC. Coinbase has also partnered with Yahoo Finance to enable one-click order placement, while Apex Fintech Solutions provides clearing, custody and execution services.

Coinbase has historically focused on cryptocurrency trading, leaving its revenue closely tied to conditions in the bitcoin market. In late 2025, the company unveiled its “Everything Exchange” strategy, which aims to combine crypto assets, stocks, derivatives and onchain financial services in a single account. Entering the US equity market could diversify its revenue and put it in more direct competition with retail brokerages such as Robinhood.

On February 24, 2026, Coinbase made stock and ETF trading fully available to US users, initially covering more than 8,000 securities. The service supports trading 24 hours a day, five days a week, with zero commissions on eligible securities. Users can instantly fund their accounts with US dollars or USDC and buy fractional shares for as little as $1. Coinbase also partnered with Yahoo Finance to integrate market data and one-click order placement.