Coinbase 2026 Priorities: Multiasset Exchange and Stablecoins

• Coinbase will expand everything exchange to include crypto, equities, and commodities.
• Stablecoin revenue contributed 22% of the company’s revenue in Q2 2025 with USDC growth.
• Base chain and developer tools aim to bring on-chain adoption to users.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has shared the company’s top priorities for 2026 as it transitions from a cryptocurrency exchange to a comprehensive financial platform. The strategy centers on three pillars: expanding the everything exchange globally, scaling stablecoins and payments, and bringing the world onchain through developer tools and Base blockchain infrastructure.

Armstrong stated the goal is to make Coinbase the number one financial app globally. The company plans major investments in product quality and automation, supporting each strategic pillar.

Everything Exchange Expands Beyond Crypto Trading

The Everything Exchange will offer crypto, equities, prediction markets, and commodities across spot, futures, and options trading. Coinbase has already launched zero-fee equity trading and is integrating direct stock trading capabilities into its main application.

The platform held $500 billion in assets by late 2025, marking a fivefold increase over three years. Derivatives now constitute the majority of trading volume on major platforms.

Prediction markets are a particularly important expansion area. Through partnerships with Kalshi and the pending acquisition of The Clearing Company, expected to close in January 2026, Coinbase is establishing itself as a leading operator of regulated outcome-based contracts.

The integration of long-tail assets from Base and Solana directly into Coinbase’s decentralized exchange aggregation deepens this platform strategy. Users can discover cross-chain assets without friction between different networks.

Stablecoins Become Revenue Engine for Payment Adoption

Stablecoin expansion forms the second critical pillar. In Q2 2025, stablecoin revenue contributed 22% of total company revenue. USDC, which Coinbase co-issues with Circle, generated $332.5 million in revenue during that period through adoption as a settlement tool, cross-border payment mechanism, and treasury instrument.

Global stablecoin payments surged to $9 trillion in 2025, marking an 87% annual increase. Industry analysts project stablecoin circulation will triple to $1 trillion by 2026, directly benefiting Coinbase’s payments infrastructure.

The Base App combines wallet, trading, and payment functionalities into a single interface. Coinbase Payments provides merchants with a full-stack stablecoin solution for direct settlement. The company signed a partnership with Google to embed stablecoin payment rails into Google’s open-source AI agent protocol.

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