Coinbase Takes First Step Towards Leveraged Stock Bets in US

Coinbase is taking its first regulatory step towards bringing leveraged stock bets to US investors. The company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to offer single-stock perpetual futures, which would allow traders to bet on stocks without owning them.

This move is part of a broader effort by Coinbase to expand beyond traditional spot crypto trading and bring the crypto trading playbook onshore. Digital-asset venues are expanding their offerings beyond cryptocurrencies themselves, with Kalshi Inc. already winning CFTC approval for Bitcoin perpetual futures and filing for similar contracts tied to equity indexes and other traditional markets.

Coinbase hopes to bring this product to the US market this year after working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on approvals. The company has been offering single-stock perps to international customers since earlier this year, and its shares jumped 10% on Thursday amid a broad-based rally in digital assets.