Coinbase Wins U.K. License to Offer Stock, Derivatives Trading

Coinbase, the U.S. crypto exchange, has obtained a U.K. license to offer traditional investment services including stock and derivatives trading.

CoinDesk reported on July 7 that Coinbase received a license from the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority that complies with the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, or MiFID.

The approval allows institutional and professional investors to trade crypto assets, stocks and commodity-based perpetual futures on Coinbase. U.K. retail investors will also be able to trade stocks on the platform for the first time.

Coinbase completed its registration with the FCA as a crypto-asset business in February 2025 and also holds an e-money license. The new approval adds authority to provide traditional financial investment services to its existing licenses.

Coinbase plans to use the U.K. approval to push ahead with its "Everything Exchange" strategy, spanning stocks, crypto derivatives, tokenized assets, prediction markets and consumer finance.