- Coinbase becomes the first crypto-native exchange to receive approval to roll out Bitcoin and Ethereum futures to eligible US customers, alongside spot trading.
- The National Futures Association granted Coinbase approval to operate as a Futures Commission Merchant.
- Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer welcomed the decision while the SEC lawsuit is underway.
Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, said Wednesday that it has received regulatory approval to roll out crypto futures trading in the US, becoming the first crypto-native exchange to offer these services alongside crypto spot trading on its platform.
The approval, secured by the National Futures Association (NFA) – an entity overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – represents a key milestone for Coinbase in its path to offer regulated crypto trading to eligible US customers. It also comes at a time when the exchange faces a lawsuit from the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).
Coinbase secures approval to offer Bitcoin, Ethereum futures
The exchange had filed an application with the NFA in September 2021 to register as a futures commission merchant, a license that allows investors to buy and sell futures on Coinbase.
In a statement, Coinbase said that the approval represents “a critical milestone” for the company, which will become “the first crypto-native leader to directly offer traditional spot crypto trading alongside regulated and leveraged crypto futures."
Coinbase recently made headlines for the lawsuit brought forward by US financial regulator, the SEC, against the exchange for allegedly operating as an unregistered securities exchange. The exchange’s Layer 2 chain BASE also suffered its second rugpull within days of launch. Find out more about it here.
Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, welcomed the approval and thanked the CFTC for providing regulatory clarity.
Grewal acknowledged that the exchange’s legal team is still working on making headway in the lawsuit brought against Coinbase by the US SEC.
This moment was years in the making. It's is a testament to Coinbase’s unwavering commitment to safeguard our customers. Put simply, at every juncture, Coinbase has invested the time and diligence required to align with regulators actually interested in ... regulating. 1/3 https://t.co/Fq5zhWKdfn
— paulgrewal.eth (@iampaulgrewal) August 16, 2023
Why is future trading important?
In its official announcement, Coinbase notes that the global crypto derivatives market represents around 75% of the total crypto trading volume worldwide. In 2022, Coinbase acquired a CFTC-regulated futures exchange, FairX,known as the Coinbase Derivatives Exchange.
The derivatives exchange is open to third-party brokers, futures commission merchants and market makers. In 2023, Coinbase established a deep liquidity pool on this platform with $4.7 billion in Bitcoin and $2 billion in Ethereum futures.
The approval sets the pace for rollout of these services and products to eligible US customers and bring them alongside crypto spot trading on its exchange, Coinbase said.
Bitcoin, altcoins, stablecoins FAQs
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, a virtual currency designed to serve as money. This form of payment cannot be controlled by any one person, group, or entity, which eliminates the need for third-party participation during financial transactions.
What are altcoins?
Altcoins are any cryptocurrency apart from Bitcoin, but some also regard Ethereum as a non-altcoin because it is from these two cryptocurrencies that forking happens. If this is true, then Litecoin is the first altcoin, forked from the Bitcoin protocol and, therefore, an “improved” version of it.
What are stablecoins?
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to have a stable price, with their value backed by a reserve of the asset it represents. To achieve this, the value of any one stablecoin is pegged to a commodity or financial instrument, such as the US Dollar (USD), with its supply regulated by an algorithm or demand. The main goal of stablecoins is to provide an on/off-ramp for investors willing to trade and invest in cryptocurrencies. Stablecoins also allow investors to store value since cryptocurrencies, in general, are subject to volatility.
What is Bitcoin Dominance?
Bitcoin dominance is the ratio of Bitcoin's market capitalization to the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies combined. It provides a clear picture of Bitcoin’s interest among investors. A high BTC dominance typically happens before and during a bull run, in which investors resort to investing in relatively stable and high market capitalization cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. A drop in BTC dominance usually means that investors are moving their capital and/or profits to altcoins in a quest for higher returns, which usually triggers an explosion of altcoin rallies.
Like this article? Help us with some feedback by answering this survey:
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC nosedives below $95,000 as spot ETFs record highest daily outflow since launch
Bitcoin price continues to edge down, trading below $95,000 on Friday after declining more than 9% this week. Bitcoin US spot ETFs recorded the highest single-day outflow on Thursday since their launch in January.
Bitcoin crashes to $96,000, altcoins bleed: Top trades for sidelined buyers
Bitcoin (BTC) slipped under the $100,000 milestone and touched the $96,000 level briefly on Friday, a sharp decline that has also hit hard prices of other altcoins and particularly meme coins.
Solana Price Forecast: SOL’s technical outlook and on-chain metrics hint at a double-digit correction
Solana (SOL) price trades in red below $194 on Friday after declining more than 13% this week. The recent downturn has led to $38 million in total liquidations, with over $33 million coming from long positions.
SEC approves Hashdex and Franklin Templeton's combined Bitcoin and Ethereum crypto index ETFs
The SEC approved Hashdex's proposal for a crypto index ETF. The ETF currently features Bitcoin and Ethereum, with possible additions in the future. The agency also approved Franklin Templeton's amendment to its Cboe BZX for a crypto index ETF.
Bitcoin: 2025 outlook brightens on expectations of US pro-crypto policy
Bitcoin (BTC) price has surged more than 140% in 2024, reaching the $100K milestone in early December. The rally was driven by the launch of Bitcoin Spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) in January and the reduced supply following the fourth halving event in April.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.