Coinbase Gears Up to Bring Perpetual Futures to U.S. Traders—Legally

Coinbase logo. Image sourced from Coinbase.

Coinbase just made a bold move that could reshape the U.S. crypto trading landscape: it plans to launch perpetual futures—a high-leverage derivative product—fully compliant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Announced at the State of Crypto Summit, this signals Coinbase’s intent to tap into a booming market segment previously dominated by offshore exchanges like Binance and Bybit.

Perpetual futures allow traders to bet on crypto prices without worrying about contract expirations. They’re popular because of their flexibility and potential for high returns—though they also carry significant risk. Until now, most American investors were shut out of these markets due to regulatory uncertainty. Coinbase wants to change that by building the offering inside the U.S. legal framework.

What’s especially interesting is that Coinbase isn’t waiting around for Washington to "figure crypto out." They're taking a proactive approach by working directly with regulators, which not only boosts their credibility but could also pressure competitors to play by similar rules. This is a major step in legitimizing complex crypto products in the U.S., especially for more sophisticated retail and institutional traders.

All signs point to Coinbase leaning hard into derivatives as a growth engine. With traditional spot trading volumes down across the industry, expanding into regulated futures could give the exchange a much-needed revenue boost—and reassert its role as a compliant innovator in a rapidly maturing market.