Stay connected with BizTech Community—follow us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and reviews delivered straight to you.
Coinbase, the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., is quickly becoming a full-fledged financial platform with the addition of stock trading and prediction markets. These capabilities, which were announced on December 18, 2025, are a big step toward CEO Brian Armstrong’s goal of creating a “everything app” that combines crypto and traditional assets. Coinbase wants to attract more users by allowing stocks and ETFs to be traded around the clock, along with perpetual futures and event-based forecasts. This will put pressure on competitors like Robinhood and Interactive Brokers and take use of its 110 million verified customers.
Head of Products for Consumers and Businesses At the company’s year-end conference, Max Branzburg talked about the changes and stressed how important it is for everyone to be able to use them: “We’re making an exchange where people can trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, and more at any time and from anywhere.” The stock trading function, which is now available in the U.S., supports key stocks and ETFs and has no fees on some trades, thanks to partnerships with established brokers. This comes after Coinbase made $1.2 billion in revenue in the third quarter, an increase of 78% from the same time last year. The company’s diverse operations outside spot crypto were a big part of this growth.
Stock Trading Is Now Live: U.S. Users Can Access It 24/7
The main feature that is now available on the Coinbase app for U.S. consumers is trading stocks and ETFs. Users can buy little pieces of firms like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia. There are plans for trading to be available for longer hours and eventually 24/7, taking use of blockchain’s always-on characteristics. Branzburg said, “This isn’t just adding stocks; it’s changing the way people invest,” and he pointed out the low-latency execution and crypto-like user experience.
The feature builds on Coinbase’s July wallet rebranding as a “everything app,” which included third-party Mini Apps, social feeds, and chat. Stock trading works directly: Users can fund their accounts through bank links or stablecoins like USDC, trade without any problems, and keep their assets in the same portfolio as BTC or ETH. Early beta testers said that execution times were less than 100ms, which is similar to Robinhood’s, and there were no pattern day trader limitations for accounts with more than $25,000.
This development is aimed at retail investors who are unhappy with the hours and fees of older brokers. Coinbase has 56 million U.S. customers, many of whom are crypto natives. They can now access traditional markets without having to switch apps. This may bring in $100 billion in additional assets, according to internal estimates. Bernstein analysts said this may bring in an extra $500 million a year by 2027, which would be a change from crypto’s 80% contribution.
Perpetual Futures and Prediction Markets Are Coming Up
Coinbase is adding prediction markets to its stock offerings through a partnership with Kalshi, an events platform licensed by the CFTC. People can bet on things like election results, sports, or economic indicators, such as “Will Bitcoin hit $150,000 by Q1 2026?” and get paid in USDC. Jane Manchun Wong, a researcher, found the feature in code earlier this year. It will soon be available in the U.S. in phases, in accordance with CFTC guidelines for event contracts.
Perpetual futures, which are set to launch in early 2026, will let you trade stocks and cryptocurrencies 24/7 with up to 50x leverage. This is like Binance and Bybit, but with Coinbase’s trusted brand. The goal is to reach $10 trillion in worldwide perps volume. Branzburg said, “We’re making a single place for risk management.” He imagined hedged portfolios that included TSLA shares with BTC perps.
These new features make the “everything exchange” idea even stronger: From spot crypto (70% of volume) to equities, predictions, and DeFi payouts through Base integrations. The app’s social layer, which includes chat, newsfeed, and Mini Apps, helps build a community. It’s similar to WeChat’s super app approach, except it’s focused on crypto.
Market Effects and Strategic Context
Coinbase is pushing for change in an industry that is growing: In the third quarter, there were $175 billion in BTC/ETH ETFs, with BlackRock’s IBIT having $50 billion in assets under management (AUM). The GENIUS Act makes stablecoins clearer and FIT21’s market structure bill helps with this kind of diversity. Armstrong wants to create “one app for all money movement” that can compete with Robinhood (stocks and crypto) and Revolut (banking and trade).
This could speed up retail inflows for markets: Coinbase has 110 million users, which is a lot more than Robinhood’s 24 million. This might mean that $200 billion moves from TradFi brokers. Stock trading increases diversification—crypto’s 80% revenue vulnerability was shown in the bad market of 2022—but it also increases the danger of equity volatility. Prediction markets can handle $10 billion in event betting, and perps could handle 5% of the $1 trillion worldwide volume.
One of the problems is compliance: U.S. securities rules require broker-dealer registration, which is done through partners. However, expanding internationally is difficult due to issues like the EU’s MiCA. Competition is getting tougher: Binance sells stocks in some areas, and Kraken is looking into similar hybrids.
Conclusion
Coinbase’s introduction of stock trading on December 18, 2025, and the upcoming prediction markets/perps make its “everything app” goal even more clear, combining crypto with TradFi for 110 million users. With $500 million in funding and clear rules, it takes on Robinhood and diversifies its income in a market worth $4 trillion. For investors, it’s easy to get to; for the industry, it’s a model for mega applications. Branzburg sees global markets open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Coinbase isn’t simply an exchange; it’s changing the future of finance.
