On September 21 local time, U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase announced a feature allowing U.S. retail users to subscribe through its app for shares in initial public offerings at the offering price. The first offering is Oura's IPO taking place this week. Participation requires a securities account with Coinbase Capital Markets and is currently limited to U.S. residents. Before subscribing, every user must complete an eligibility questionnaire to determine whether restrictions imposed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority apply.
On the app's IPO page, users submit a Conditional Offer to Buy within the published offering-price range and receive the result after the subscription period closes. Final allocations may be full, partial, or zero, depending on the supply provided by the underwriters and aggregate customer demand. Coinbase said its allocation algorithm favors investors inclined to hold shares for longer periods. Allocated shares may be sold on Coinbase as soon as public trading begins, but a sale within 30 days may restrict the user from participating in IPOs for the following 60 days. Repeated short-term sales may also reduce the size and frequency of future allocations compared with investors who hold for longer.
The securities are offered by FINRA-registered broker-dealer Coinbase Capital Markets acting as the user's agent, while Apex Clearing Corporation handles clearing. Coinbase disclosed that Securities Investor Protection Corporation protection does not apply to digital assets or cash held in Coinbase, Inc. accounts. The company described the feature as another step toward becoming an “Everything Exchange.” The launch announcement did not state the fees or the maximum subscription amount per person.