TLDR
Coinbase will join the S&P 500 on May 19, becoming the first crypto company in the index
The exchange will replace Discover Financial Services following its acquisition by Capital One
CEO Brian Armstrong called the inclusion a validation that “crypto is here to stay”
Joining the index will increase demand for COIN shares as index funds must buy the stock
Coinbase shares rose 8.8% to $225.4 in after-hours trading following the announcement
Coinbase is set to make history by becoming the first cryptocurrency company to join the S&P 500 index. The major US-based crypto exchange will be added to the prestigious stock market index on May 19, 2025, marking a watershed moment for the digital asset industry.
The announcement came on May 12 when S&P Global confirmed that Coinbase would replace Discover Financial Services. Discover was recently acquired by Capital One Financial Corp, creating an opening in the index.
Coinbase’s inclusion represents a major shift in how traditional finance views the cryptocurrency sector. Founded in 2012, Coinbase went public through a direct listing on Nasdaq in 2021. The company has since grown to become the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States.
CEO Brian Armstrong celebrated the news on social media. He stated simply that the inclusion validates that “crypto is here to stay.” The company also marked the occasion with a humorous post adapting a famous quote: “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then they add you to the S&P 500… Or something like that.”
What This Means for Investors
The S&P 500 is a stock market index that tracks the performance of 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the US. It represents a broad measure of the overall US stock market with an aggregate market cap of $49.8 trillion as of March 31.
Coinbase’s addition to the index will likely increase demand for its stock. This is because index funds and exchange-traded funds that track the S&P 500 must buy COIN shares to mirror the index.
The market responded positively to the news. COIN shares rose 8.8% to $225.4 in after-hours trading following the announcement. The company finished the May 12 trading day up 4%, bringing its market cap to $52.8 billion.
Alesia Haas, Coinbase’s Chief Financial Officer, called the inclusion a “major milestone” for both Coinbase and the broader crypto industry. “Joining this prestigious index reflects how far Coinbase and the industry have come and is a signal of where the world is heading,” Haas stated.
Joining the Financial Establishment
To qualify for the S&P 500, companies must meet several requirements. They must be trading on a major US stock exchange like Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange. They need to generate at least half of their revenues in the US and have a market cap above $18 billion.
Companies must also demonstrate profitability in the last calendar year and the most recent quarter. This requirement has kept other crypto-related companies like Strategy (MSTR) out of the index despite their size.
Coinbase joins Tesla and Block Inc. as large corporate Bitcoin holders currently in the index fund. The S&P 500 is a market-cap-weighted index, giving more weight to larger firms such as Microsoft, Apple, and Nvidia. As a newer entrant, Coinbase will likely be weighted between 0.01% and 0.2% of the overall index.
The milestone cements the shift in Wall Street’s perception of the crypto industry. Legacy financial institutions are increasingly engaging with blockchain infrastructure, digital custody solutions, and tokenized assets.
Coinbase’s addition to the S&P 500 sends a clear message: the digital asset economy is no longer on the margins. It is now part of the financial establishment.
The exchange’s journey from a fringe technology startup to a mainstream financial player illustrates the growing acceptance of cryptocurrency in traditional finance. Despite regulatory challenges and market volatility, Coinbase has emerged as a symbol of crypto’s maturation and resilience.
The post Coinbase to Join S&P 500 Index on May 19, First Crypto Company to Achieve Milestone appeared first on Blockonomi.
