Coinbase Introduces Derivatives Trading for UK Professional Investors
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Written by
Simonas Brazionis - Updated 2026-08-12 00:13:03
Coinbase has launched derivatives trading for professional investors in the United Kingdom. This new offering includes over 170 contracts across various asset classes like cryptocurrencies, commodities, equities, and foreign exchange.
The products available are perpetuals, futures, and options. Perpetuals offer up to 50x leverage, while dated futures provide up to 20x leverage. This expansion follows Coinbase receiving investment services authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in July.
Product Details and Eligibility
Keith Grose, UK and International Vice President at Coinbase, explained that perpetual contracts cover more than 170 assets, operate continuously, and have no expiry date. Dated futures, conversely, settle on specific dates and incorporate the cost-of-carry at entry, with leverage capped at 20x.
Crypto options are limited to cryptocurrency underlyings and include both call and put options. They support single and multi-leg strategies with integrated payoff diagrams. Eligibility for these products is restricted to professional clients, and Coinbase plans a phased rollout.
Regulatory Context and Strategic Vision
The FCA has prohibited the sale of crypto derivatives to retail consumers in the UK since 2021. Coinbase's launch is supported by the MiFID investment services authorization obtained from the FCA on July 7, which allows the company to offer instruments beyond crypto. Coinbase had previously extended crypto futures to 26 European countries in March under MiFID II, with leverage up to 10 times.
Grose described the launch as part of the company's “Everything Exchange” strategy, aiming to combine crypto, stocks, derivatives, and prediction markets into a single application. Coinbase noted that global crypto derivatives volume consistently reaches 4.4 times that of spot markets, indicating that professional traders often use unregulated venues. For professional traders, finding the best crypto exchanges that offer a comprehensive range of products and strong regulatory compliance is crucial.
This UK expansion follows Coinbase's introduction of 24/5 U.S. stock trading to UK users and the opening of perpetuals to wholesale clients in Australia. The company asserts its position as the most comprehensively regulated crypto firm in the UK market. This expansion precedes the full implementation of the regulatory framework, as the FCA finalized its crypto framework in June, with the mandatory regime set to commence in October 2027.
The launch also occurs amidst ongoing discussions regarding the crypto sector's relationship with UK finance, as evidenced by a parliamentary group's inquiry into banking access for crypto firms.
