Coinbase makes its stock index perps commission-free for six months

Fees Waived Across Five Contracts

@coinbase has eliminated maker and taker commissions on five of its stock index perpetual futures products: the AI 10, Defense 10, China 10, Tech 100, and US 500. The promotion runs through January 31, 2027, giving traders roughly six months of fee-free access to the suite of equity index contracts.

Exchange, clearing, and National Futures Association fees still apply. The contracts are offered through Coinbase's CFTC-registered derivatives arm, Coinbase Derivatives, which oversees the products under US commodity trading rules.

Part of a Broader Push Into Equity Derivatives

The commission waiver covers products that Coinbase has been rolling out in stages over 2026. The exchange launched its first four equity index perpetual futures contracts in June 2026, marking the first time such products were available on a US-regulated exchange, with contracts covering AI10, China10, Defense10, and Tech100. The US 500 contract, tied to the S&P 500, was subsequently added, going live on August 17, 2026, with up to 20x leverage available.

Each product is a cash-settled, perpetual-style contract structured with funding rates, with tax treatment similar to crypto perpetual futures, and tracks a MarketVector index. Unlike true perpetual futures, which never expire, Coinbase's perp-style contracts expire after five years, as US rules do not currently support actual perpetual futures contracts.

The move is part of Coinbase's push to become the "Everything Exchange," which has led it to expand its product offerings well beyond pure crypto trading. Coinbase has been ramping up its derivatives offerings over the past year, beginning with select perp-style crypto futures in July 2025, before introducing equities futures for highly liquid stocks such as Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta, and Tesla in March 2026.

For traders already familiar with crypto-style perpetuals, the commission-free window lowers the cost of testing these equity index products. Standard regulatory fees remain in place, so traders should account for those costs when sizing positions.

Sources
Crypto Briefing: Coinbase launches equity index perpetual futures for AI, defense, China, and tech sectors
Cryptonomist: US500 Perpetual Futures Launch with 20x Leverage on Coinbase
The Block: Coinbase introduces thematic perps tracking China, AI and US national security equity indexes