Coinbase announced plans on Thursday to introduce perpetual futures trading in the United States, with the product designed to comply with regulatory standards set by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The move represents a significant expansion of the crypto exchange’s derivatives offerings as the broader market anticipates lighter regulation and displays renewed investor risk appetite.
“We recently launched first-of-its-kind 24/7 futures trading, and I’m excited to share that we’ll soon be launching CFTC-compliant perpetual futures trading in the U.S. as well,” said Max Branzburg, Coinbase’s vice-president of product, speaking at the State of Crypto Summit in New York.
Perpetual futures are a form of crypto derivatives that allow traders to speculate on token prices without an expiry date. These contracts provide continuous trading access, often with high leverage, and have grown in popularity as fast-moving markets attract both institutional and retail traders seeking to hedge risk, amplify returns, or speculate on price movements without holding the underlying digital assets.
The expansion comes amid heightened competition among crypto exchanges racing to offer complex products that were once limited to sophisticated market participants. Coinbase’s decision to ensure compliance with CFTC regulations may also help position the exchange favorably with U.S. regulators, as the crypto industry continues to face scrutiny from multiple government agencies.