Coinbase's Deribit Expansion Unlocks UAE Liquidity

Deribit, the derivatives exchange acquired by Coinbase for $2.9 billion in August 2025, has secured a Broker-Dealer Licence from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This approval routes Deribit's spot orders directly into Coinbase Exchange for execution.

The VARA license unlocks access to hundreds of assets for Deribit's mostly professional trader base. It also sets up an expansion beyond the exchange's historical focus on bitcoin and ether derivatives.

Deribit can now connect customers' funds with Coinbase's centralized order book, providing a deeper pool of liquidity than the platform had managed on its own. This integration is expected to bring hundreds of additional assets onto the platform.