Coinbase said it has secured an Australian Financial Services Licence, marking a major step in its push to expand deeper into regulated markets and broaden its product offering beyond crypto trading.
The company announced that its local entity, Coinbase Australia Pty Ltd, received the licence from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, allowing it to operate with a retail derivatives authorization. Coinbase said the approval reflects years of investment in the region and strengthens its ability to serve customers under a regulated framework.
With the licence in place, Coinbase plans to roll out a broader suite of financial products in Australia. This includes crypto and equity perpetuals, with futures and options expected to follow. The company also signaled ambitions to compete more directly with traditional financial institutions by expanding into stock trading, payments, and other financial services through its platform.
Coinbase emphasized that the licence provides a regulatory foundation aligned with traditional financial services standards, including requirements around conduct, disclosure, governance, and consumer protection. The company said this alignment is critical as governments increasingly move to bring digital asset platforms under formal regulatory regimes.
Australia has been a long-standing market for Coinbase, which first entered the country in 2016. The company established a local entity in 2022 and has since introduced features such as PayID support, advanced retail trading, and around-the-clock customer service. It has also engaged with policymakers and industry groups as part of broader efforts to shape crypto regulation in the country.
The announcement comes as Australia advances new legislation that will require digital asset exchanges to hold financial services licences. Coinbase said it is among the first to meet these requirements and intends to continue working with regulators to support innovation while maintaining strong consumer protections.
