Coinbase launches 24/5 US stock trading for UK users, advancing 'Everything Exchange' strategy

Coinbase has begun rolling out 24/5 trading in nearly 4,000 U.S. stocks to eligible users in the United Kingdom, marking the company's latest expansion beyond digital assets as it builds out what it calls an "Everything Exchange."

Starting Aug. 6, eligible UK customers will progressively gain access to buy, sell, and manage U.S. equities alongside their crypto and fiat holdings in the Coinbase app. In a statement shared with The Block, the company said trades can be funded instantly with either GBP or USDC. The product also offers zero-commission trading and fractional shares, allowing users to invest from just £1 ($1.35).

Coinbase (COIN) said it is the first crypto-native trading app to launch U.S. equities in the UK.

Coinbase eyes broader financial platform

The stock trading launch follows Coinbase's introduction of savings accounts and crypto-backed borrowing products in the UK. Coinbase said the latest addition is designed to extend stock trading beyond traditional market hours and reduce the friction between managing digital assets and conventional investments. The company said the move forms part of its long-term "Everything Exchange" strategy, while arguing that broader access could help increase stock market participation among UK retail investors. Survey data continually shows that UK retail investors lag behind their U.S. counterparts in terms of stock investment, Coinbase noted.

"We've made great progress in recent months in building Coinbase into a one-stop shop where users can seamlessly access stocks, stablecoins, savings, and more from a single platform," Keith Grose, Regional Managing Director UK and Europe at Coinbase, told The Block. He added that the company plans to launch "a string of new products across the UK and the EU" over the coming months while building compliant infrastructure for its broader strategy.

Shares are custodied in the U.S. by Apex Clearing, and orders are routed to Apex for execution by Coinbase Capital Markets Corporation, Grose explained. He added that "top U.S. equities are some of the hottest capital markets for investors currently in the AI boom" and said Coinbase was "excited to bring top AI stocks to the UK market with this launch."

Grose noted that Coinbase's recently secured UK MiFID licence expanded the company's permissions to offer more products, including derivatives for professional traders and equities for retail investors, with the potential to launch additional offerings in the coming months.

The UK's new crypto regime is expected to come into force in October 2027, with the Financial Conduct Authority's rules already finalized and the authorization gateway opening this September. Grose said the framework provides "the regulatory clarity to further enhance our Everything Exchange, bringing crypto, stocks, stablecoins, savings and borrowing together under one roof." He described it as "a green light for what we're building" and a signal of the UK's intent to integrate crypto more formally into regulated financial markets.

Asked why the firm decided to launch conventional U.S. shares rather than tokenized equities and whether it plans to offer tokenized or 24/7 stock trading in the UK, Grose said Coinbase wanted to deliver "immediate value" to UK customers.

"Ultimately, we're committed to bridging the divide between traditional finance and onchain finance, and we recognize that tokenized equities are a huge part of the future of financial markets," he said, adding that Coinbase intends to work with UK policymakers and regulators to bring tokenized equities to UK users in the future as the regulatory framework develops.

Grose also said Coinbase supports the UK government's efforts to strengthen capital markets and encourage greater retail participation through platforms that make investing "more accessible and simpler."