Coinbase announced a sweeping expansion of its offerings to include stock trading, derivatives, and prediction markets, positioning the company as a unified platform for traditional and digital asset investors.
Key Takeaways:
- Coinbase launches stock trading, derivatives, and prediction markets for U.S. users.
- The expansion is part of its strategy to become a multi‑asset “everything exchange,” making it beyond a crypto trading platform.
- As of writing (10:30AM UTC), COIN stock is slightly down while Bitcoin and Ethereum show mixed moves.
On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Coinbase rolled out stock trading, prediction markets, and expanded derivatives access, marking a strategic shift toward a comprehensive multi-asset platform. The updates are immediately available to eligible U.S. users, enabling them to trade equities and crypto in one interface.
The new prediction markets, developed in partnership with a regulated exchange, allow users to speculate on real-world events such as elections and economic outcomes. These event contracts bring a new form of engagement to the platform while broadening Coinbase’s offerings beyond cryptocurrency.
From Crypto Exchange to ‘Everything Exchange’: Coinbase Details Strategic Shift
While speaking at the Coinbase System update on Wednesday and introducing the new products, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong emphasized the platform’s totality beyond crypto.
Coinbase is no longer a place to just trade crypto. It’s a place where you can trade everything.
Coinbase’s expansion includes plans for 24/7 perpetual futures trading, allowing users to leverage both crypto and traditional asset price movements. In addition, the company is developing tokenization tools to represent real-world assets on the blockchain, further bridging traditional finance and digital markets.
Analysts note that this strategy aims to diversify revenue streams beyond volatile crypto trading fees. By integrating stocks, derivatives, and prediction markets, Coinbase is positioning itself to compete with both traditional brokerages and other multi-asset platforms.
COIN Trades Soft as Markets Digest Expansion, Crypto Prices Hold Steady
A mixed market reaction was seen following Coinbase’s announcement. As of this writing (11:45AM UTC), COIN stock is trading around $244.19, reflecting a 3.33% drop in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, major cryptocurrencies hold steady in today’s trading session. Bitcoin (BTC) traded near $87,220.83 with 0.3% intraday gain, while Ethereum (ETH) was sitting around $2,859.01 in a 2.3% drop in the last 24 hours. Although Coinbase’s product expansion is strategically significant, initial price response suggests that investors are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Prediction Markets and Perpetuals Signal Deeper Convergence of Crypto and TradFi
Coinbase’s prediction markets and upcoming perpetuals trading shows that traditional finance and crypto markets are now increasingly overlaps. Robinhood and Gemini have also explored similar multi-asset and event contract offerings, which signals rising demand for a single platform that has everything in it.
These innovations align with broader trends in DeFi and tokenized finance, where investors seek diversified portfolios within a single platform. The new products could boost user engagement, but also introduce regulatory and risk considerations, especially around leveraged trading and event contracts.
Outlook
Looking ahead, Coinbase plans to expand tokenized stock offerings and AI-driven financial tools throughout 2026. The company aims to increase user adoption and retention by providing a single app that has both crypto and traditional asset investments.
Right now, government rules is an essential thing to consider, particularly for prediction markets and leveraged products. Coinbase’s compliance framework will be critical in navigating these challenges, and investor response will ultimately determine the success of its “everything exchange” strategy.
Summary
Coinbase expanded into stock trading, derivatives, and prediction markets for eligible U.S. users, signaling a strategic push to become a multi-asset "everything exchange" that bridges traditional finance and crypto.
