Coinbase just took a big leap. Instead of sticking only to crypto trading, the company is moving into regular stock markets and prediction markets as part of its broader Coinbase everything app strategy. This isn’t a small experiment. It’s a clear signal that Coinbase wants to become a single platform where users can manage all their financial activity in one place, from digital assets to traditional markets.
They dropped the news at their year-end conference. Execs got up and laid out the plan: Coinbase doesn’t just want to be your go-to for crypto anymore. They’re aiming to become a one-stop shop for all kinds of trading. With this shift, they’re stepping right into the same space as the big retail brokers. It’s wild to see how fast the line between crypto and old-school finance is disappearing.
Stock Trading Goes Live on Coinbase
Coinbase just rolled out stock trading on its platform. That’s a big step it means you can now buy and sell stocks right next to your crypto, all in one place.
The team says they want to push this even further. Their plan? Let people trade stocks and ETFs around the clock, powered by the same kind of tech that runs crypto markets. They haven’t dropped the full list of stocks or regions yet, but honestly, just launching this shows they’re thinking bigger about what Coinbase can be.
Adding stocks puts Coinbase in the same ring as Robinhood and eToro, since both already mix crypto with regular assets. But here’s the twist: Coinbase is building this whole thing with crypto as the backbone, not just tacking it on to a traditional brokerage. That’s a different game.
Prediction Markets Roll Out Through Kalshi Partnership
Coinbase isn’t just sticking with stocks anymore it’s stepping into the buzzing world of prediction markets. They’ve teamed up with Kalshi, a U.S.-regulated platform, to offer users the chance to trade on real-world events. Think elections, jobs reports, stuff you see in the headlines every day.
Kalshi already works under the watchful eye of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, so Coinbase gets a clear path into a space that usually gets tangled up in regulations.
This isn’t a sudden launch. Coinbase is rolling things out slowly, widening access as they go. They’ve been dropping hints about prediction markets for a while, and now it’s official. It’s another sign they’re not content with just crypto trading they’re moving into new corners of finance one step at a time.
Perpetuals and Leverage Set to Follow
Coinbase isn’t stopping with stocks or prediction markets. Next year, they’re rolling out 24/7 perpetual contracts basically, a way for people to trade with leverage on both crypto and regular stocks, any time they want.
They’re talking about leverage as high as 50x. That’s a big deal. It puts Coinbase on the same playing field as those big offshore platforms that advanced traders flock to. Perpetual contracts these don’t expire, by the way are huge in the global crypto scene, but US regulators haven’t exactly welcomed them with open arms.
Now, by opening up perpetuals not just for crypto but for stocks too, Coinbase is making it clear they’re getting bolder with derivatives and advanced trading. This move could really change the way everyday traders handle both stocks and crypto all in one place.
The Coinbase Everything App Vision
Coinbase isn’t just making random updates it’s been working on a bigger shift all year. Not long ago, they took their wallet and turned it into what they’re calling an “everything app.” Now it’s got support for third-party apps, social features, even built-in chat.
They’re following a familiar playbook. Look at other big tech platforms they’re all trying to become the go-to spot for trading, payments, messaging, and even digital identity. Coinbase wants the same: instead of doing just one thing, they’re pulling all your financial activity into one place.
This isn’t just their idea, either. Across the crypto world, companies are scrambling to become the main dashboard people use to manage everything crypto, regular money, you name it. The infrastructure is growing up, and everyone wants to be the center of it all.
Market Reaction and Valuation Debate
Even with all the big announcements, Coinbase’s stock barely budged. The shares dropped over3% during the day but clawed back about half of that in after-hours trading, settling around $247.85.
Honestly, the lukewarm reaction just keeps the debate going about how much Coinbase is really worth. Right now, the company’s market cap sits under $66 billion. That’s way less than Robinhood, which is valued at over $104 billion even though Coinbase has a bigger global footprint and more products in the works.
Fans say the gap just shows that Wall Street’s slow to catch on to how much Coinbase is changing. On the other hand, skeptics worry about whether the company can actually pull off its plans, especially with all the regulatory headaches that come with expanding into new kinds of assets.
What This Means for the Future of Trading
Coinbase isn’t just a crypto exchange anymore, and that’s obvious from its latest moves. The company wants to be the place where you can trade stocks, crypto, derivatives whatever without hopping between apps. Just one platform, everything you need.
Traditional finance and crypto keep blending together, and Coinbase is betting big on this future. Pulling it off means they need sharp execution, they have to play nice with regulators, and, honestly, people have to trust them. If they get it right, they could change what people expect from a financial app. If they mess it up, though, they end up fighting on too many fronts against other crypto exchanges, brokers, even big fintech names.
But there’s no turning back now. Coinbase isn’t just tweaking its crypto business. They’re building a whole ecosystem.
