Coinbase Inks Deal to Allow USDC Stablecoin’s Use as Collateral

Coinbase Global Inc. has inked a deal to have the world’s second-biggest stablecoin, USDC, used as collateral in US futures trading. The cryptocurrency exchange is also expanding its payment offerings, including integrating USDC on ecommerce merchant sites.

Coinbase Derivatives is partnering with clearing house Nodal Clear to work with regulators on what it expects to be the first regulated use of USDC as collateral, according to an announcement on Coinbase’s website Wednesday. Circle Internet Group Inc., of which Coinbase owns a minority stake, is the issuer behind USDC. The stablecoin — essentially a digital asset designed to hold a steady value — has a $61.5 billion market capitalization, per tracker CoinMarketCap.com.