Coinbase has announced that it has obtained an investment services license in the UK, enabling the platform to expand its local offering beyond spot trading to products such as shares and derivatives.
Coinbase Tuesday he said the authorization would allow UK users to trade financial instruments alongside cryptocurrencies on the platform. Institutional and sophisticated investors would have access to perpetual futures contracts tied to cryptocurrencies, stocks and commodities, while retailers would have access to stocks.
The company said the approval marks its largest expansion of products in the UK since entering the market and advances its “interchange of everything” vision that combines cryptocurrencies and customary financial assets on one platform. Coinbase says future implementations will continue to be subject to regulatory approvals and UK market rules.
FCA research cited by Coinbase estimates that around 7 million adults in the UK hold crypto assets. A quarter of UK adults who don’t currently own cryptocurrencies said they were more willing to participate under clearer regulations.
The authorization will also come ahead of the UK’s recent cryptocurrency regime, which will start accepting applications in September and come into force in October 2027. It will require cryptocurrency trading platforms, custodians, stablecoin issuers, staking providers and other intermediaries to obtain FCA authorization.
The FCA did not comment on the matter before publication.
Retail cryptocurrency derivatives in the UK remain narrow
The different product offerings reflect FCA rules governing retail access to cryptocurrency investment products. In 2021, the Polish Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) prohibited the sale, marketing and distribution of derivatives and exchange-traded bonds (ETNs) relating to certain crypto assets to retail consumers.
Related: Coinbase, Kraken and OKX move to acquire EU users affected by MiCA restrictions
Since then, FCA reopened retail access to certain cryptocurrency ETNs, with the change effective on October 8, 2025.
As a result, retail consumers can only access cryptocurrency ETNs where they are traded on an FCA-approved, recognized UK-based investment exchange, and financial promotion rules and consumer protection requirements apply. However, the FCA said the ban on retail access to cryptocurrency derivatives remains in force.
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