Coinbase Australia Gets AFSL License, COIN Stock Gains Over 5%

Coinbase Australia secured an Australian Financial Services License with retail derivatives authorization, the company confirmed in a blog post. The approval comes from ASIC and is the first time a crypto exchange has received this license. As a result, COIN stock saw steady recovery to trade above $185.

Coinbase Expands With AFSL Approval

In a blog post, Coinbase said the AFSL allows it to operate under Australia’s financial services framework with full regulatory oversight. The license comes ahead of legislation that will require digital asset platforms to hold such authorization. According to Coinbase, this step builds a foundation to introduce its “Everything Exchange” model in Australia.

The company plans to roll out crypto and equity perpetuals first, followed by futures and options. However, this expansion depends on the same compliance standards applied to traditional financial providers. Coinbase stated that the license enforces strict rules on governance, disclosure, and consumer protection.

This win follows Coinbase’s OCC approval for a National Trust Charter and earlier steps in Australia. Coinbase first entered Australia in 2016, identifying strong early adoption of digital currencies. In 2022, it established a local entity, registered with AUSTRAC, and launched services including PayID support and advanced trading.

COIN Stock Price Surges

Following the Coinbase announcement, COIN stock recorded an increase. At the time of writing, the COIN stock was trading at $180.13 in pre-market, up from a Tuesday close of $175.18. COIN stock is up by 5.05% or 8.84.

Source: TradingView

Its market cap is at $46.26 billion at the time of reporting. Meanwhile, average trading volume is at 12.41 million shares. The stock also held a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.95, indicating current valuation levels.

Yearly performance shows a broader range, with prices moving between $139.36 and $444.65. However, the latest move may not only be tied to the AFSL win, as the White House said deposit flight risk from stablecoin rewards is “quantitatively small” to affect the CLARITY Act.

Regulatory Positioning and Leadership Changes

Coinbase confirmed that Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Adam Judd, will oversee AFSL management as chief operating officer. Judd previously worked at CommSec, handling complex product lines during regulatory changes. Before that, he spent over a decade at ASIC in senior regulatory roles.

The crypto exchange also noted its involvement in Australia’s policy and research ecosystem. It partnered with RMIT’s Blockchain Innovation Hub and joined the Digital Economy Council of Australia. Additionally, it maintained engagement with policymakers during ongoing regulatory developments.

This Coinbase licensing aligns with the Corporations Amendment Digital Assets Framework Bill 2025. The bill brings crypto platforms under the financial services licensing regime. Coinbase stated it has worked alongside ASIC and Treasury during this transition period.