Here is how Coinbase plan to survive the crypto downturn by ditching its reliance on trading fees
Analysts say the exchange's push into derivatives, payments and infrastructure broadens its growth story beyond crypto trading.
By Helene Braun, AI Boost
Jun 17, 2026, 7:23 p.m.
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- Coinbase used its System Update event to showcase a shift from reliance on bitcoin-linked trading revenue toward a broader financial platform spanning derivatives, tokenized stocks, stablecoin payments, lending and artificial intelligence. - Analysts see derivatives as the key opportunity, noting that options and perpetual futures account for most global crypto trading volume and could provide Coinbase with a larger, more durable source of transaction revenue than spot trading. - Stablecoins, developer tools and early-stage AI products are viewed as emerging, less volatile revenue streams that may not move near-term earnings but signal Coinbase is widening its earnings base and long-term growth prospects.
Coinbase's (COIN) latest product launch event may not have changed Wall Street's near-term earnings forecasts, but it reinforced a growing belief among analysts that the crypto exchange is steadily transforming itself into a broader financial platform with revenue streams that extend beyond bitcoin's price cycles.
At Tuesday's System Update event in New York, Coinbase unveiled products spanning derivatives, tokenized stocks, stablecoin payments, lending and artificial intelligence. While the announcements covered a wide range of businesses, analysts focused less on the individual products and more on what they reveal about the company's long-term strategy.
For years, Coinbase's fortunes have been closely tied to crypto trading activity. When bitcoin BTC$63,854.27 rallies and retail investors return to the market, trading revenue tends to surge. During slower periods, that revenue can fall sharply. Analysts increasingly view Coinbase's product expansion as an effort to reduce that dependence.
""The new features are aligned with the company's effort to become the 'everything' exchange," Barclays analyst Benjamin Budish wrote following the event, adding that the company is seeking to capture a larger share of customers' financial activity as crypto trading volumes remain relatively subdued."
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Ramsey El-Assal struck a similar tone. While acknowledging softer conditions across crypto markets, he said Coinbase's "innovation engine hasn't skipped a beat" and argued that the company is positioning itself to benefit from a future where consumers manage investing, spending and borrowing through a single app or wallet.
'The prize'
What stood out to analysts among Coinbase's myriad new product launches was derivatives.
Several firms highlighted Coinbase's efforts to expand access to options and perpetual futures markets, which represent the majority of global crypto trading activity. JPMorgan pointed to the company's push to bring more derivatives products to U.S. customers, while Cantor emphasized Coinbase's creation of a unified global liquidity pool that connects trading activity across markets and asset classes.
Clear Street analyst Owen Lau called derivatives "the prize," noting that roughly 80% of crypto trading volume occurs in derivatives markets. He argued that expanding options and futures offerings could provide Coinbase with a larger and potentially more durable source of transaction revenue than traditional spot trading.
Analysts also highlighted stablecoins and payments infrastructure as increasingly important parts of the story.
Barclays said Coinbase continues to focus on stablecoin payments and agentic commerce, while Cantor pointed to enhancements to the Coinbase Developer Platform that allow businesses to integrate stablecoin payments and crypto services into their operations. Clear Street described stablecoins and developer tools as a growing source of recurring revenue that is less sensitive to crypto market volatility.
Artificial intelligence emerged as another major theme. Coinbase introduced tools to connect AI agents to trading and payment systems, part of management's vision to become the "financial account for AI." While analysts generally viewed those initiatives as early-stage, they said the products expand Coinbase's future opportunity set.
However, few analysts expect the new offerings to materially impact financial results in the near term. Instead, they viewed the event as evidence that Coinbase is widening its earnings base and creating new avenues for growth.
Shares of the company rose about 2% on Wednesday before paring those gains. The stock has fallen about 26% this year, similar to bitcoin's performance.
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
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