American cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase has revealed that it has applied to become a registered Futures Commission Merchants (FCM) with the US National Futures Association (NFA). The exchange platform announced via a tweet that said “Today, Coinbase filed an application with the NFA to register as an FCM – Futures Commission Merchant. This is the next step to broaden our offerings and offer futures and derivatives trading on our platforms. Goal: Further grow the crypto economy”. Coinbase made the registration under the registration under the name Coinbase Global Inc. and as of the time of this drafting, the registration was still pending on the National Futures Commission website.
After its registration with the NFA pulls through, Coinbase will have to proceed to register with the US derivatives market regulator – the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
After acquiring these licenses, Coinbase will be able to fully offer its futures products to its clients. Acquiring licenses like these would give crypto platforms that plan on tapping into the crypto derivatives market, like Coinbase, the shield they require from regulatory actions.
The application to be a part of the National Futures Association (NFA) comes after Coinbase’s executive Brian Armstrong tweeted that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) threatened to sue coin base if it continued with offering a USD coin (USDC) lending products that promised clients 4 percent APY.
By registering and imminently acquiring the necessary licenses, the exchange platform hopes to carry on its operations concerning futures and derivatives smoothly and free from regulatory kerfuffles.
Coinbase was founded in 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam and as of March this year, it was the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the US by trade volume. The exchange platform went public on NASDAQ exchange via a direct listing on April 14th, 2021.
Coinbase’s registration to become an NFA merchant is expected to be approved soon.
