CME sues CFTC as Coinbase US500 perpetual futures near Aug 17 launch
Coinbase Derivatives is about to hand US traders something they’ve never had on a regulated domestic platform: US500 perpetual futures tied directly to the S&P 500, the most closely watched equity benchmark in the world. The contracts go live on August 17, 2026, and they carry up to 20x leverage — meaning a single dollar of margin controls twenty dollars of market exposure.
Key takeaways
- Coinbase Derivatives launches US500 Equity Index Perp-Style Futures on August 17, 2026, tracking the S&P 500.
- Contracts offer up to 20x leverage with no expiration date, using funding rates to keep prices tethered to the underlying index.
- Coinbase Derivatives is regulated by the CFTC, making this among the first perpetual-style equity index futures on a fully regulated US platform.
- The company is working to accept USDC as collateral, pending CFTC approval.
- The launch arrives amid an active legal battle between CME Group and the CFTC over the regulatory classification of perpetual futures.
Coinbase Launches US500 Equity Index Perpetual Futures
The US500 Equity Index Perp-Style Futures contract is not just another product in a growing catalog — it completes Coinbase Derivatives’ push to cover the full spectrum of major US equity benchmarks. The exchange had already rolled out perpetual-style futures on thematic indexes focused on AI, defense, and the Nasdaq-100. Adding an S&P 500-tracking contract expands the offering.
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