Coinbase (COIN) launched 24/5 UK stock trading on August 6, 2026, allowing eligible UK users to trade nearly 4,000 US equities with zero commissions and fractional investing starting at $1.
This expansion follows Coinbase’s July 2026 authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under a MiFID-equivalent investment-services license.
Keith Grose, Regional Managing Director UK and Europe at Coinbase, emphasized this rollout as part of their strategy to create a comprehensive platform for managing crypto, US stocks, stablecoins, savings, and borrowing.
Trades can be funded instantly using GBP or USDC, making Coinbase the first crypto-native trading app to offer US equities in the UK. With FCA authorization, this marks a huge move in the UK market.
Coinbase Expansion: 24/5 Trading on Nearly 4,000 Securities, Zero Commission, and Fractional Shares From $1, With a Tokenized Equity Roadmap Running Separately
The UK stock trading product operates 24/5, similar to Coinbase’s US launch in February 2026, but it starts with about 4,000 securities rather than over 8,000.
Trades are commission-free, and fractional shares can be purchased from $1, making it more accessible than traditional brokers. Shares are held in the US by Apex Clearing, with execution handled by Coinbase Capital Markets Corporation.
Coinbase plans to offer tokenized equities to UK users in the future, backed 1:1 by US stocks and including full shareholder rights, like dividends.
These would trade 24/7, unlike traditional hours, enhancing access. Coinbase is working with UK regulators on this initiative, viewing it as pivotal for future financial markets.
Additionally, Coinbase Advanced users in the UK will have access to TradingView charting tools and earn up to 3.5% rewards on trade-ready USDC, as announced on June 17, 2026.
FCA MiFID Authorization in July 2026: The Regulatory Milestone That Made UK Stock Trading and Professional Derivatives Structurally Possible
In July 2026, the FCA granted Coinbase a MiFID-equivalent investment-services license, building on its existing UK e-money license and crypto registration from February 2025.
This new authorization allowed Coinbase to offer retail equities and perpetual futures across crypto, equities, and commodities for professional clients, marking its largest UK product expansion.
The broader UK crypto regulatory framework is set to take effect in October 2027, with finalized FCA rules and an authorization gateway opening in September 2026.
Grose highlighted this framework as providing essential regulatory clarity for Coinbase’s Everything Exchange, enabling cross-margining and unified risk management across various asset classes.
Everything Exchange Strategy: How Converging Crypto, US Equities, and Tokenized Assets on One Platform Restructures Coinbase’s Revenue Profile and Competitive Position
The everything exchange thesis – a unified platform integrating crypto, US equities, derivatives, savings, and borrowing – shapes Coinbase’s reorganization efforts. This includes regulatory investments and operational changes, with UK stock trading being the first concrete step for British users.
They can access major US equities, including sought-after AI stocks, while managing their crypto and stablecoin assets within a single app. This strategy aims to reduce Coinbase’s reliance on volatile crypto trading fees as equity volumes grow.
Coinbase’s model is comparable to Robinhood (HOOD), which combines commission-free stock and crypto trading but lacks features like tokenized equity ownership and unique derivatives that Coinbase offers.
In the UK, Revolut offers a similar multi-asset platform but lacks the DeFi tools and extended equity trading hours that Coinbase is implementing.
Coinbase also highlights survey data showing that UK retail equity participation lags behind the US, a gap it aims to bridge by making stock ownership more accessible to crypto users.
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