Coinbase is bringing Wall Street’s favorite thematic trades onto a crypto-native derivatives framework. Starting June 8, Coinbase Derivatives will launch four perpetual-style equity index futures tied to artificial intelligence, aerospace and defense, China-listed ADRs, and a broad basket of Nasdaq-listed innovators, according to a recent statement.

The contracts are built on MarketVector’s existing indexes, each tracking the 10 largest companies in its respective sector, except for the broader tech basket, which captures 100. Think of it as getting exposure to Nvidia, Microsoft, and Alibaba through the same interface you’d use to trade Bitcoin perps.

What’s actually launching

The MarketVector US Listed AI 10 Index, ticker AI10, follows ten major US-listed companies deriving significant revenue from AI infrastructure, semiconductors, data, and AI applications. MarketVector uses revenue thresholds to determine which firms qualify, so this isn’t just any company that mentions “AI” on an earnings call.

The Defense10 contract, ticker DEF, packages the top US-listed aerospace and defense companies into a single tradeable futures product.

Then there’s the China 10 Index, tagged CHN, which tracks the most liquid American Depositary Receipts of Chinese companies listed in the US. For traders who want exposure to Chinese tech and consumer giants without navigating Hong Kong or Shanghai exchanges, this is the play.

Finally, the Tech100, ticker TEK, tracks a broad basket of 100 large Nasdaq-listed companies across sectors including technology, communications, healthcare, and consumer discretionary.

All four are perpetual-style futures, meaning they have no fixed expiration date. Traders can hold positions indefinitely, paying or receiving funding rates to keep the contract price tethered to the underlying index.

Why a crypto exchange is selling stock index futures

Cross-margining is part of the pitch. Traders who already hold crypto positions on Coinbase can potentially use those as collateral for equity index trades, rather than parking separate capital in a stock brokerage account.

By building on MarketVector’s established indexes, Coinbase sidesteps the question of how constituent companies are selected. MarketVector, a subsidiary of asset manager VanEck, has been running index products for institutional clients for years.

What this means for investors

Perpetual contracts with no expiration remove the rollover costs and timing decisions that come with traditional futures. There’s also the continuous trading angle. Traditional equity markets close at 4 PM Eastern and don’t reopen until 9:30 AM the next day, with limited pre-market and after-hours sessions. These perpetual contracts can be traded around the clock.