Coinbase Launches Regulated Bitcoin and Crypto Futures Across Europe

Coinbase has rolled out futures contracts to traders in 26 European countries, including Germany, France, and the Netherlands, marking the first time the exchange has offered derivatives directly to users in the region. 

The products are available through Coinbase Advanced, the company’s high-performance trading interface, and are offered by its MiFID-registered European entity, ensuring compliance with EU financial regulations, the company said. 

European traders have historically relied on unregulated offshore platforms for crypto derivatives, navigating regulatory gaps and exposure to operational risks. 

Coinbase’s launch provides a regulated alternative, offering cash-settled futures on bitcoin and crypto-linked equity indices, including the “Mag7 + Crypto Equity Index Futures,” which blend exposure to major technology companies, Coinbase stock, and spot crypto exchange-traded funds.

The platform offers two main types of futures contracts. Perpetual-style contracts carry five-year expiries, use an hourly funding mechanism to align prices with the underlying assets, and settle daily. Dated contracts have monthly or quarterly expirations, are marked to market daily, and settle in cash at expiry if held to maturity. 

Traders can use up to 10x leverage on select contracts, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and certain equity indices, while other products offer leverage in the 4x to 5x range, the company said.

Trading fees start at 0.02% per contract, though they exclude exchange, clearing, and NFA fees.

Eligible users must pass trading experience checks and KYC verification before funding their accounts with euros or USDC to access futures trading. 

Coinbase emphasized that derivatives are complex instruments, noting the potential for rapid losses due to leverage and advising users to consider professional guidance.

Bitcoins Coinbase adds stock trading for U.S. users

The launch forms part of Coinbase’s broader strategy to create an “exchange for everything.” Beyond crypto trading, Coinbase has added stock trading for U.S. users, offering equities such as Apple and Tesla around the clock, introduced prediction markets through a partnership with Kalshi, and outlined a tokenization roadmap aimed at on-chain access to traditional assets.

Coinbase’s European expansion comes amid a broader market decline. The $1.3 trillion crypto market is down roughly 50% from its October 2025 highs, reflecting geopolitical tensions, tariff uncertainties in the U.S., conflicts in the Middle East, and market concerns tied to advances in artificial intelligence. 

In other news, Nasdaq said today that it plans to work with Kraken to distribute tokenized versions of publicly traded stocks to investors outside the United States, as part of a broader push to integrate blockchain infrastructure into traditional capital markets.