Coinbase Expands Institutional Access with Off-Exchange Settlement
Coinbase International Exchange has partnered with Copper’s ClearLoop network, enabling institutional clients to settle trades off-exchange as the need grows for secure and capital-efficient crypto trading.
The integration, revealed Thursday, lets institutions settle and process trades in near real-time without physically moving assets onto the exchange – a key innovation that is intended to decrease counterparty risk and improve capital efficiency.
ClearLoop Integration Starts With USDC
The new service is on the blocks with USDC being the sole collateral supported and operated under the Bermuda Monetary Authority’s regulatory framework. Additional support for collateral assets is to be implemented, Coinbase says.
ClearLoop, which was built by UK’s Copper, employs MPC technology to allow institutional traders to conduct trades on the basis of virtual balances on centralized exchanges. Settlement happens in reality on Copper’s infrastructure, reducing the quantity of assets being held on exchanges.
“ClearLoop enables a jumpstep in off-exchange settlement times,” said a Coinbase spokesperson. “This fundamentally improves the way institutions manage collateral, while reducing risk and increasing efficiency.”
Industry Reactions and Strategic Significance
Amar Kuchinad, Copper’s Global CEO, described the collaboration as a “milestone in the evolution of a mature digital assets industry,” highlighting its role in extending safe, high-speed institutional trading access.
Coinbase International Exchange, which went live in 2023, supports over 150 assets with up to 20x leverage. This is within ClearLoop’s current network of exchanges including OKX, Deribit, Bitfinex, and Bybit.
Institutions Scaling Up Crypto Investments
The action follows institutional interest in cryptocurrency rising continuously. A survey conducted recently by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon revealed 83% of institutional investors intend to boost their crypto exposure in 2025. Regular holdings already consist of XRP and Solana, as well as Bitcoin and Ether.
Confirming the trend further, Fireblocks announced in May that 90% of institutions were either live with or piloting stablecoins, with a nearly equal number already live with them for paying for things.
With security and efficiency of capital in mind, Coinbase’s new off-exchange settlement product could be a game-changer for institutions to increase their crypto exposure with greater confidence.
