Coinbase Opens Global Crypto Perps for US Institutions
SkimNews Take
Coinbase's move to onshore perpetual contracts suggests a strategic response to regulatory signals, aiming to capture institutional demand for derivatives within a compliant framework as the market matures.
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- Coinbase announced it will allow U.S. institutional clients to trade global crypto perpetual contracts, making it the first U.S. exchange approved for such products.
- SEC and the CFTC jointly signaled in September 2025 that they are exploring onshoring perpetual futures to bring offshore activity back to regulated U.S. markets.
- CME Group plans to launch a crypto index futures contract covering seven assets and will debut Bitcoin volatility futures on June 1, expanding regulated derivatives offerings.
- Kraken (through parent Payward) completed its acquisition of Bitnomial, a CFTC‑regulated derivatives platform that earlier launched U.S. regulated futures for tokens such as INJ and APT.
- CFTC staff issued guidance stating crypto asset derivatives are well‑suited for 24/7 trading, clearing, and settlement.
Why it matters: Institutional investors gain direct access to regulated global crypto contracts, while offshore exchanges lose market share; the shift expands U.S. crypto trading activity and strengthens compliance oversight.
