Coinbase Canada plans broader app for crypto, stocks and event markets
Coinbase Canada CEO Eric Richmond says the company wants one app for crypto, equities, ETFs and prediction markets, with no Canadian launch date yet.
By Dev Ramirez · Crypto Correspondent
· 3 min read
Coinbase wants Canadian users to see it as more than a place to trade crypto. Coinbase Canada CEO Eric Richmond told BNN Bloomberg the company is working to bring its wider “Everything Exchange” concept to Canada, a move that could put crypto, stocks, exchange-traded funds and prediction markets inside one account.
For everyday investors, the pitch is convenience and access. An exchange-traded fund, or ETF, is a fund that holds a group of assets, such as stocks tracking an index. A prediction market lets users wager on future outcomes, including political or sports events, with prices reflecting what participants think is likely to happen.
Richmond said Coinbase’s first stage in Canada centered on crypto trading, while the next phase is about building a broader financial app using blockchain-based infrastructure. He described the goal as giving Canadians one place for a wider set of financial activity, available around the clock.
Coinbase has not announced a firm Canadian launch date for the full product. The company said it is working with Canadian regulators, according to BNN Bloomberg. Coinbase became the first international crypto exchange registered in Canada in April 2024, according to earlier reporting by Decrypt.
What Coinbase has already rolled out in the U.S.
The Canadian plan follows products Coinbase has started introducing for U.S. users. Coinbase opened stock and ETF trading to eligible American customers in February 2026, according to a company blog post. It also launched prediction markets in January through Kalshi, a federally regulated prediction market operator.
Kalshi is valued at $22 billion, according to Decrypt. Decrypt also reported in June that Coinbase’s broader roadmap includes putting nearly 10,000 stocks and ETFs on the same platform.
That strategy would put Coinbase closer to a full-service trading app than a crypto-only venue. It also sets up more direct competition with traditional brokerages and newer investing platforms that already offer equities and ETFs.
Tokenized stocks are part of the plan
Coinbase has said tokenized stocks are planned for non-U.S. customers this month, including Canadians, according to a previous company blog post cited by Decrypt. Tokenized stocks are shares represented on a blockchain, the digital ledger system that records crypto transactions.
The appeal Coinbase is pushing is faster settlement and longer trading hours. Settlement is the process of finalizing a trade and transferring ownership. Traditional market infrastructure can take time to complete that process, while blockchain-based records can update more quickly.
Coinbase’s planned tokenized stock offering for non-U.S. users will include full dividend rights, according to Decrypt. Dividends are cash payments some companies make to shareholders.
Richmond told BNN Bloomberg he is not especially concerned about competition from Robinhood or Canadian brokerages. He pointed to limits in the current system, including market closing times, wire-transfer delays and restricted access to some products for investors who do not meet high-net-worth requirements.
One regulatory piece remains central to Coinbase’s Canadian ambitions. Decrypt reported that the Bank of Canada is expected to finalize rules for stablecoins in 2027. Stablecoins are crypto tokens designed to track the value of a traditional currency, such as the Canadian dollar or U.S. dollar. Those rules are expected to matter before Coinbase can list a Canadian dollar stablecoin and offer the full version of its broader exchange in Canada.
This story draws on original reporting from Decrypt.
