Coinbase just struck a deal to acquire The Clearing Company, a startup known for its focus on event-based trading. This comes right after Coinbase rolled out prediction market access on its platform last week.

By bringing The Clearing Company on board, Coinbase looks to dig deeper into the world of trading on real-world events. This kind of activity will sit right next to the usual offerings, crypto, derivatives, and equities inside the same user-friendly interface. The goal is to give people everything they want to trade, without making them jump between different platforms. The new prediction markets let users bet on outcomes tied to elections, economic releases, sports, and pop culture. All of this runs through the same regulated venue Coinbase customers already know, keeping the experience consistent. Coinbase sees this approach as a way to branch out its business while keeping everything under one roof.

Big picture, Coinbase wants to become an “Everything Exchange,” a single place where people can access all kinds of financial instruments, managed under one regulatory and operational system. The Clearing Company should help them get there, bringing deep expertise in prediction markets. Toni Gemayel, founder of The Clearing Company, leads the team. Coinbase calls Gemayel “a visionary product and growth leader” who has played a big role in shaping prediction markets as we know them. His team brings great skills in product development, growth, and market structure, which should help Coinbase ramp up prediction market trading for users worldwide.

Coinbase has also taken legal action against three states that tried to block prediction markets, making it clear they’re not backing down from this expansion.

Prediction Markets Become the Logical Next Step

Coinbase execs see prediction markets as the next logical move for the platform. Letting people trade on real-world events right alongside other financial products, they say, lowers the bar for participation and gets more users interested across different asset types. That’s not just a Coinbase thing, either; it fits into a bigger trend in digital finance. Platforms are moving away from splitting up financial products into neat categories. Instead, they’re blending everything together, aiming for a smoother user experience and a more connected financial landscape.

The deal itself still needs to clear the usual closing steps and should wrap up in January. Until then, The Clearing Company runs on its own. Once the acquisition is final, the Clearing Company team joins Coinbase, putting their energy into pushing prediction markets forward as a key part of Coinbase’s strategy. It’s interesting timing. Coinbase just rolled out prediction markets, and there’s a noticeable buzz from other big players looking at similar features. The company didn’t share the price tag, but the move makes it clear: Coinbase wants specialised talent on board, not just building everything from scratch in-house.