Global crypto exchange Coinbase said it plans to expand its offerings in Australia to include futures, options, stock trading, payments, and other traditional financial (TradFi) products, as part of its vision to become an “everything exchange,” following the acquisition of a financial services license in the country.
John O’Loghlen, Coinbase’s APAC regional managing director, said the Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) will initially allow the platform to offer crypto and equity perpetuals, while paving the way for futures, options, and a broader suite of traditional financial products.
“We’re going to compete with traditional financial services on stock trading, payments, and other TradFi products with the speed and execution of crypto,” O’Loghlen said.
The AFSL places Coinbase under the same regulatory standards for conduct, disclosure, governance, and consumer protection as traditional financial services providers, marking a key step in Australia’s efforts to build a dedicated regulatory framework for digital assets.
Licensing legislation likely to take effect within 12 months
The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 passed both houses of the Australian Parliament on April 1 and is now awaiting royal assent, the final step before becoming law. Once approved, the legislation is expected to come into force after 12 months.
“Thoughtful regulation is good for customers, good for the industry, and good for Australia’s ambition to be a leading digital economy in the Asia-Pacific region,” O’Loghlen said.
In February, crypto industry executives, including O’Loghlen, told Cointelegraph that Australia’s market is seeing steady growth in users and regulatory progress, though several challenges—particularly around regulation—remain unresolved.
According to crypto exchange Independent Reserve’s Cryptocurrency Index, around 33% of Australians now have exposure to digital assets, up from 31% in 2025, out of a population exceeding 27.7 million. The report also found increasing use of crypto for everyday payments compared with the previous year.
Coinbase said it is scaling up its presence in Australia alongside its AFSL license, adding senior hires across legal, compliance, marketing, and operations, with talent drawn from other regulated industries.
In September, Coinbase and OKX also launched services tailored for self-managed superannuation funds, offering Australians new ways to incorporate crypto into their retirement portfolios.
Australia’s total superannuation assets were estimated at around 4.5 trillion Australian dollars ($3.1 trillion) by the end of the third quarter of 2025.
