Coinbase Secures MiFID License in UK, Expands into Derivatives and Equities

Coinbase has secured a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) investment services license in the United Kingdom, clearing the regulatory path to offer derivatives and equities alongside its existing crypto products. This is not just paperwork; it puts Coinbase in the same bracket as traditional investment firms.

The practical upshot for UK users is significant: retail clients will be able to trade stocks on Coinbase for the first time, while institutional and professional clients gain regulated access to derivatives referencing both digital and traditional assets.

Coinbase already holds an FCA-regulated e-money license and a MiCA-aligned European investment firm authorization in Cyprus. The UK MiFID authorization pulls derivatives and equities into the picture domestically.