Coinbase plans expansion to stock trading in Australia after securing license

Written by Stephen Katte, Staff WriterReviewed by Felix Ng, Staff EditorCoinbase plans expansion to stock trading in Australia after securing license3 hours agoThe approval puts Coinbase under Australia’s financial rules as the country formalizes oversight of crypto platforms.       Listen0: 00 Cointelegraph in your social feed           Coinbase is planning to expand its offerings in Australia to include derivatives, equities and payments after securing an Australian financial services license (AFSL). John O’Loghlen, regional managing director for APAC at Coinbase, said the Australian financial services license (AFSL) will see the exchange initially offer crypto and equity perpetuals but will open the door for futures, options and other 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. Holding an AFSL subjects Coinbase to the same standards of conduct, disclosure, governance and consumer protection that apply to traditional financial services providers, marking a significant milestone in Australia’s push to establish a dedicated regulatory framework for digital assets. Licensing legislation takes effect 12 months after assentThe Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 passed both houses of the Australian Parliament on April 1. The bill is now waiting for royal assent, the final step before becoming law. It’s set to take effect 12 months after assent. “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 executives, including O’Loghlen, told Cointelegraph that Australia’s crypto market is making progress in user growth and regulatory reforms, but there are still a range of issues to iron out. Crypto exchange Independent Reserve’s Cryptocurrency Index estimates that 33% of Australians have exposure to cryptocurrency, up from 31% in 2025, among a population of more than 27.7 million.