Coinbase gains U.S. approval for global crypto perpetuals

Coinbase is the first U.S.-regulated exchange to offer global crypto perpetual futures, following CFTC approval. This gives American traders compliant access to a major crypto derivatives market.

Coinbase has achieved a major milestone by securing regulatory approval to offer global crypto perpetual futures to U.S. traders. This comes after years of discussions with regulators and marks a pivotal moment for the industry. On May 29, 2026, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) granted Coinbase a no-action letter, enabling the company to provide access to these popular derivatives through a compliant domestic platform. Previously, U.S. traders often relied on offshore venues and VPNs to access perpetual futures due to regulatory barriers, with estimates indicating that Americans accounted for about half of global perpetual futures volume. With this approval, Coinbase becomes the first U.S.-regulated exchange to connect domestic users directly to global liquidity pools. This move is expected to enhance market efficiency and reduce pricing fragmentation. The approval is specific to Coinbase and does not represent a blanket rule change for other exchanges. Overall, this development is seen as a structural shift in the U.S. crypto market, offering institutional-grade access to a key product in global crypto trading.