Coinbase to Join S&P 500 in Historic Moment for Crypto, Stock Surges

Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN) is set to join the S&P 500 index, marking a historic moment for the cryptocurrency industry and signaling growing mainstream acceptance of digital assets within traditional financial markets.

The crypto exchange will replace Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS), which is being acquired by Capital One Financial, with the change set to take effect before market open on May 19, 2025.

Coinbase to be included in the SPX 500, Replacing Discover Financial Services

S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that Coinbase Global will join the S&P 500 index, replacing Discover Financial Services, which is being acquired by Capital One Financial.

The change will take effect before trading opens on May 19, 2025, making Coinbase the first pure cryptocurrency company to be included in the benchmark index that tracks the 500 largest publicly traded U.S. companies. This milestone comes at a symbolic moment for the crypto industry, with Bitcoin having recently surpassed the $100,000 mark, approaching its record price reached in January 2025.

To qualify for S&P 500 inclusion, Coinbase had to meet strict criteria, including reporting a profit in its most recent quarter and having cumulative profits over the four most recent quarters. In its latest earnings report, Coinbase posted net income of $65.6 million on revenue of $2.03 billion, a 24% year-over-year increase, though earnings were down from $1.18 billion a year earlier. The addition represents a significant validation for the cryptocurrency industry, which has worked for years to gain legitimacy within traditional financial systems.

Since going public through a direct listing in 2021, Coinbase has established itself as a key player in the U.S. financial system, particularly as large institutions have gained regulatory approval to create spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds.

Just last week, Coinbase announced plans to acquire Dubai-based Deribit, a major crypto derivatives exchange, for $2.9 billion in the largest deal in crypto industry history. The acquisition will help Coinbase expand its global footprint beyond the United States.

Coinbase’s inclusion in the S&P 500 is expected to drive significant passive investment flows into the stock, as funds that track the index will need to add it to their portfolios.

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Coinbase’s Stock Nears 52-Week High After SPX Listing News

Coinbase (COIN) shares were trading at $242.03 as of 10:39 AM EST on Tuesday, up $34.81 or 16.80% from Monday’s close of $207.22. Trading volume is already robust at 12,551,724 shares, well above the daily average of 9,373,813 shares. The stock opened at $231.71 and has traded in a daily range of $231.49 to $242.74.

Following the announcement of its inclusion in the S&P 500, Coinbase shares are now within striking distance of their 52-week high of $348.75, though still well below the all-time high of over $357 reached in late 2021 shortly after its public debut.

The company currently has a market capitalization of approximately $61.62 billion, making it one of the largest publicly traded companies in the cryptocurrency sector. Coinbase’s financial metrics reflect the maturing of its business model, with a trailing P/E ratio of 45.48 and forward P/E of 32.57, indicating market expectations for continued earnings growth.

The company reported EPS (TTM) of $5.32 and has a Beta (5Y Monthly) of 3.62, highlighting its significant volatility compared to the broader market. Despite today’s gains, Coinbase shares remain down 2.56% year-to-date, underperforming compared to Bitcoin’s approximately 10% gain over the same period.

However, the stock has performed strongly over longer timeframes, with a 1-year return of 21.26% and an impressive 3-year return of 256.47%, though it remains 36.50% below its level from 5 years ago. The average analyst price target for Coinbase stands at $255.78, with a range between $170 (low) and $400 (high), suggesting analysts see potential upside even after today’s surge.

Analyst sentiment is generally positive, with strong buy and buy recommendations outnumbering hold, underperform, and sell ratings. The company maintains a strong balance sheet with $8.05 billion in cash and a total debt/equity ratio of 43.89%.

Coinbase reported a profit margin of 22.03% and return on equity of 15.84%, indicating solid financial performance despite the notorious volatility of cryptocurrency markets.

Disclaimer: The author does not hold or have a position in any securities discussed in the article. All stock prices were quoted at the time of writing.