Coinbase is rolling out access to roughly 4,000 US-listed stocks for its UK users, marking the company's first major push into traditional equities outside the crypto space. The service, which goes live this week, gives British customers direct ownership of shares in companies like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia — without wrapping them in tokens. Trading will be available 24 hours a day, five days a week, aligning with US market hours.
Not tokenized, just stocks
The stocks are not tokenized. That's a key distinction from some earlier efforts by crypto exchanges to offer synthetic or tokenized equities. Coinbase is instead acting as a straightforward broker for these securities, likely through a partnership or regulatory license. The move signals that the company sees itself as a broader financial services platform, not just a crypto exchange.
Why the UK first
Coinbase chose the UK for this expansion, a market where it already has a regulated presence. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority has been relatively open to crypto firms offering traditional products, provided they meet compliance standards. This launch could be a test case for similar rollouts in other jurisdictions.
UK customers can now buy and sell US stocks directly from their Coinbase accounts, alongside their crypto holdings. The 24/5 access means they can trade during US market hours, but not on weekends. Coinbase hasn't disclosed fees yet, but the move puts it in more direct competition with traditional brokers like Robinhood and eToro.
The timing is notable. Coinbase has been under pressure to diversify revenue as crypto trading volumes fluctuate. Adding stocks gives it a steadier income stream and a reason for users to keep their money on the platform.
What's next? Coinbase hasn't said whether it plans to bring this service to other countries, but the UK launch will be closely watched as a potential template for other regions.
