Coinbase announced Tuesday that it has received a financial services license from Australian authorities through its local entity.

The crypto exchange said in its announcement that it is the first of its kind to receive the Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) and is now authorized to offer retail derivatives trading in the region. 

With the license, Coinbase Australia said it will offer crypto and equity perpetuals to Australian investors, followed by futures and options.

"We're going to compete with traditional financial services on stock trading, payments, and other TradFi products with the speed and execution of crypto," the company said.

The AFSL subjects Coinbase Australia to the same conduct, disclosure, governance, and consumer protection requirements as traditional institutions, Coinbase explained. The authorization precedes incoming legislation — Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 — which would require all crypto exchanges to hold a license.

Established in 2022, Coinbase Australia is part of the Digital Economy Council of Australia, helping shape digital asset regulation in the region. It has recently been expanding its legal, compliance, marketing, and operations teams, the company said.

Meanwhile, Coinbase recently received conditional approval for a national trust company charter from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which will "enable continued innovation to integrate digital assets into traditional finance."