Key Highlights
- Coinbase launched regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum futures trading in 26 European countries through a licensed platform.
- Traders can use up to 10x leverage on select contracts, with all contracts cash-settled and fees starting at 0.02% per contract.
- The launch comes ahead of the EU’s MiCA law enforcement, giving traders a safe and regulated alternative to offshore platforms.
US-based crypto exchange Coinbase has launched 10x regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum futures trading across Europe, giving traders in 26 countries access to leveraged cryptocurrency contracts for the first time on a fully licensed platform.
According to the company, the service is live from today through Coinbase Advanced, the company’s professional trading platform, and is run under Coinbase’s European MiFID-regulated entity to follow EU financial rules. Countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands are key markets for the launch.
Addressing issues in European crypto trading
The move addresses a gap in European crypto trading. Until now, many traders have turned to offshore or unregulated platforms to access derivatives, exposing themselves to higher risks. Coinbase said it aims to provide a safer, regulated alternative.
“As regulatory clarity continues to mature across Europe and globally, we are looking forward to continuing to introduce new and expanded services,” the company said in a statement.
The launch also positions Coinbase ahead of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which is progressively tightening oversight of crypto service providers across the bloc. Having a MiFID II license already in place gives Coinbase a structural advantage over competitors that may need to apply for new authorizations as MiCA’s provisions come into full effect.
The platform at launch supports Bitcoin and Ethereum contracts as well as exposure to equity indexes, including the Mag7 + Crypto Equity Index Futures, which combines major technology companies, Coinbase shares, and spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds.
How the futures contracts work
The platform offers three main types of contracts. Perpetual-style futures run for up to five years, track the underlying asset with an hourly funding rate, and settle daily in cash. Fixed-term contracts expire either monthly or quarterly, are marked to market daily, and settle at maturity.
Index-based futures give traders exposure to multiple markets through a single contract. For Bitcoin, Ethereum, and some index products, leverage goes up to ten times the original stake, while other contracts offer leverage between four and five times.
Trading fees start at 0.02% per contract, and users can fund accounts in euros or U.S. dollars after completing identity verification and trading experience checks.
Coinbase joins a small but growing group of platforms offering regulated crypto derivatives in Europe. Eurex, the European derivatives exchange, already lists Bitcoin futures, and CME Group’s crypto contracts are accessible to European institutional traders. However, Coinbase’s offering is aimed squarely at retail and professional traders through its existing advanced platform, rather than purely institutional channels.
Bitcoin and Ethereum recover after monthly declines
Bitcoin and Ethereum are both showing signs of recovery after a bruising month that saw BTC drop as low as $60,000 and ETH fall below $1,800.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $69,046, up about 2.86% in the last 24 hours and roughly 1.5% higher on the week. The rebound has been accompanied by a sharp pickup in trading activity. BTC futures volume stands at $50.6 billion with open interest at $43.18 billion, while approximately $144 million in short and long positions were liquidated in the past 24 hours, according to Coinglass.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs have also seen renewed inflows, recording about $568 million in net inflows this week following $787 million the week prior. Bitcoin remains about 50% below its all-time high of approximately $126,000, reached in October 2025, putting its market valuation at around $1.37 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap.
Meanwhile, Ethereum’s bounce has been even sharper. ETH has reclaimed the $2,000 level and is trading near $2,028, up roughly 3.81% on the day after touching lows near $1,748 last month. Trading volume has jumped by about 64% in the past 24 hours to approximately $22 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.
ETH futures volume has surged by 89%, with open interest rising 5.16% to $26.58 billion, according to Coinglass. Despite the recovery, Ethereum remains down approximately 60% from its August 2025 all-time high of nearly $4,950, with its market capitalization around $244 billion.
Both assets have been weighed down by U.S. tariff uncertainty and escalating conflicts in the Middle East. The availability of regulated leveraged contracts on both BTC and ETH gives European traders access to hedging tools on the two largest crypto assets without relying on offshore venues.
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