Former PayPal President's Change of Heart on Crypto

Coinbase has received an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, marking a significant regulatory milestone for the exchange's operations in Australia. **Key Points:** - The AFSL approval enables Coinbase to expand its product offerings to Australian users - This regulatory clearance positions Coinbase to operate under Australia's established financial services framework - The licence allows the exchange to provide a broader range of financial products in the Australian market The approval represents Coinbase's commitment to operating within regulatory frameworks as it expands its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Australian users can expect enhanced access to Coinbase's platform and services under local regulatory oversight. [Read more](https://www.coinbase.com/blog/coinbase-australia-receives-afsl-licence)

A major crypto exchange has become the first to obtain an **Australian Financial Services Licence** with retail derivatives authorization. This regulatory milestone enables the platform to expand its offerings in Australia, starting with: - Crypto perpetuals - Equity perpetuals - Options (coming later) The license represents a significant step in Australia's evolving crypto regulatory framework, allowing the exchange to build what it calls the "Everything Exchange" for Australian users. This development follows Australia's broader move toward bringing crypto exchanges and tokenization platforms under formal financial services licensing.

Coinbase has introduced stock perpetual futures trading on its platform, expanding beyond traditional cryptocurrency offerings. **Key Details:** - Users can now trade perpetual futures contracts on stocks - Limited-time promotional pricing: 0% maker fees and 0.01% taker fees - This marks Coinbase's entry into traditional equity derivatives The move represents a significant expansion of Coinbase's product suite, allowing crypto traders to access stock market exposure through perpetual futures contracts - derivatives that don't have an expiration date. For more information, visit [Coinbase's official announcement](http://coinbase.com/blog/coinbase-launches-stock-perpetual-futures).

Coinbase is running a sweepstakes offering traders a chance to win **1 BTC** and an Aston Martin F1 experience in Melbourne. **How to enter:** - Opt in on Coinbase - Make any trade between January 5 and February 5, 2026 - Earn 1 entry per trade (maximum 10 entries) **Prize includes:** - Trip for two to Melbourne (flights and hotel) - VIP pre-race karting with Aston Martin F1 Team Driver Squad member - Aston Martin rental with chauffeur - Access to team events - Personalized kit signed by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll - 1 Bitcoin Contest ends February 5, 2026. Open to residents of US, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Spain, France, and Australia (18+). No purchase necessary. [Full rules](http://coinbase.com/sweepstakes/amf1_jan26_rules)

Coinbase has launched prediction markets across all 50 U.S. states, marking a shift from traditional house-set odds to crowd-determined pricing. **Key Features:** - Trade outcomes on sports, politics, culture, and other real-world events - Market prices determined by collective user predictions rather than bookmakers - Available nationwide on the Coinbase platform The launch represents a new approach to speculation on future events, allowing users to buy and sell positions based on whether specific outcomes will occur.