U.S.-based crypto exchange Coinbase announced on December 17 that it has launched stock trading services for retail investors in the United States, marking a major expansion beyond its crypto-only roots.
?♂️ #COIN Coinbase has launched a stock trading platform, expanding its services beyond cryptocurrency. This new feature allows users to trade stocks alongside their crypto assets. pic.twitter.com/3DKvk01z6n
— Cryptocurrency Inside (@Crypto_Inside_) December 18, 2025
With the move, Coinbase is repositioning itself from a cryptocurrency-focused exchange into a comprehensive financial services platform, allowing users to manage both cryptocurrencies and traditional financial products through a single interface. The initiative is part of a broader global strategy to create a one-stop investment hub for retail investors.
Tokenized Stocks and Major Feature Rollout
As part of the expansion, Coinbase is developing an end-to-end tokenization platform that digitizes real-world assets. This infrastructure will enable the trading of tokenized equities, representing traditional stock ownership on blockchain networks.
Shares of major companies such as Apple and Tesla are expected to be tokenized, allowing trading 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This always-on access removes traditional market-hour limitations and expands investment opportunities in U.S. equities.
The platform upgrade includes more than 10 new features, including access to prediction markets via Kalshi and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications built on the Solana (SOL) blockchain.
Coinbase is also enhancing privacy protections by integrating support for 0xbow’s privacy pools, addressing concerns around user security, compliance, and transaction legitimacy.
Regulatory Alignment and Strategic Positioning
Coinbase’s strategic shift reflects closer coordination with U.S. regulators, particularly the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company has been working to obtain regulatory approval for tokenized securities in line with existing guidelines.
In parallel, Coinbase recently acquired major derivatives exchange Deribit, strengthening its risk management capabilities and expanding its footprint in the institutional derivatives market.
The biggest logo x logo partnership in crypto just became official.
We closed the deal with @DeribitOfficial. Now we’re building the most powerful global crypto platform, together. pic.twitter.com/a7fCmx3E6T
— Coinbase ?️ (@coinbase) August 14, 2025
The exchange has also deepened partnerships with major financial institutions, including Citigroup, to reinforce its blockchain-based financial infrastructure and improve transaction speed and system resilience.
Market conditions are also supportive. JPMorgan’s deployment of JPM Coin on blockchain infrastructure connected to Coinbase signals rising institutional engagement with crypto-native platforms.
Financially, Coinbase reported revenue of $2 billion in the first quarter of 2025, underscoring the company’s solid performance as it broadens its product lineup.
Under its vision of becoming an “exchange for everything,” Coinbase says it will continue expanding while maintaining strict compliance with regulatory requirements.
