Coinbase to acquire Deribit for $2.9b in largest deal yet: report

Coinbase has agreed to acquire Deribit, the worlds largest trading platform for bitcoin and ether options, for approximately $2.9 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The acquisition, Coinbases largest to date, includes $700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase Class A stock.

Founded in 2016 and based in Dubai, Deribit offers options, futures, and spot trading.

In 2024, trading volume nearly doubled to $1.2 trillion, driven by growing institutional demand post-election, according to WSJ.

“This will make us the most comprehensive player in derivatives,” said Greg Tusar, Coinbases VP of institutional product. Coinbase, which has a market value above $50 billion, already offers futures in the U.S. and perpetual futures abroad.

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Other crypto acquisitions

The move comes amid a resurgence in crypto dealmaking, fueled by a more favorable regulatory climate under President Trump.

Industry players, buoyed by renewed political backing, are racing to expand their product offerings. Kraken, for example, recently acquired retail futures platform NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, and Ripple struck a $1.25 billion deal for credit network Hidden Road.

Coinbases Deribit acquisition highlights a strategic bet on crypto derivatives as a key growth area, especially with global institutions increasingly active in the space.

Other recent Coinbase acquisitions include One River Digital (now Coinbase Asset Management) and Tagomi (now Coinbase Prime).