The exchange says it has been granted approval by the National Futures Association (NFA), a self-regulatory organisation designated by the CFTC, making it the first crypto-native platform to directly offer traditional spot crypto trading alongside leveraged crypto futures.

Coinbase applied with the NFA nearly two years ago and says it has been working with regulators since then to ensure it will comply with all regulations and that its business model meets the CFTC’s customer protection requirements.

Greg Tusar, VP, institutional products, Coinbase, writes in a blog: "We believe this is a watershed moment to be able to bring regulated crypto products to US customers."

The approval is regulatory win for Coinbase, which has been publicly locking horns with the SEC. Earlier this year, CEO Brian Armstrong said that "anything is on the table" about a potential decision to move the company's headquarters out of the US.

Recently, the company also filed a suit against the SEC, asking a court to make the regulator respond to a petition from last year on the "rules to govern the regulation" of digital assets.

Since then the SEC has sued Coinbase for operating its crypto asset trading platform as an unregistered national securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency.

Writes Tusar: "Where regulations are clear and sensible, we will work with regulators to receive the authorisations needed to offer products that align with our purpose of using crypto to update the financial system to advance economic freedom and opportunity."