Marex offers clients ability to post USDC as margin for derivatives
NEW YORK, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marex Group Limited (NASDAQ:MRX), the diversified financial services platform, today announced that clients will be able to utilize USDC, a regulated1, fully reserved dollar-denominated stablecoin issued by Circle, serving as the digital collateral asset in this workflow, as initial margin (IM) collateral. This initiative is enabled in collaboration with Coinbase, and will assist clients in deploying their digital asset portfolios more effectively while tapping into the benefits of blockchain-native transfer rails. Coinbase provides the underlying infrastructure supporting custody, on/off-ramps, and reporting required for this capability.
"The future of finance is unfolding before our eyes," said Stephen Hood, Head of Clearing, Americas at Marex. "With regulatory clarity helping to shape the future of USDC and other stablecoins, the speed and accessibility of blockchain technology is transforming clearing globally. For clients actively trading digital assets, the ability to use USDC as good segregated collateral will enhance capital efficiencies and set the stage for a new wave of innovation."
The launch of this service follows the issuance of a no-action letter from the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in December 2025, on the use of digital assets as collateral. The letter effectively permits Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) to accept non-securities digital assets, including USDC, Bitcoin and Ethereum, as customer margin collateral for CFTC-regulated derivatives and to treat them in certain risk calculations, subject to strict conditions. Coinbase supports Marex’s implementation through NYDFS-qualified custody, 1:1 instant fiat-to-USDC conversion, and bespoke reporting infrastructure aligned with CME requirements.
The integration of USDC marks a significant step toward modernizing global derivatives market infrastructure. In today’s markets, risk moves in response to global events as they unfold, yet collateral relies on traditional banking rails constrained by operating hours and multi-day settlement. The ability to post USDC as initial margin empowers Marex clients to manage risk in near real time, moving collateral 24/7 at internet-speed to keep pace with always-on markets. Over time, as the use of tokenized collateral becomes more prevalent, its real-time mobility and transparency can help drive down risks across the system.
"USDC, when integrated into institutional trading and clearing workflows, enables initial margin to move at internet speed, unlocking new levels of efficiency and programmability in collateral management all while meeting the rigorous standards institutional markets demand," said Claire Ching, VP of Global Capital Markets at Circle. "By supporting USDC as IM collateral, Marex is equipping institutional trading clients to operate seamlessly in a 24/7 global market environment."
"Stablecoin collateral is moving from concept to production. Coinbase is providing the institutional infrastructure underneath: NYDFS-qualified custody, instant fiat-to-USDC conversion, and reporting built to meet clearing-grade requirements. The same infrastructure that safeguards assets for the majority of US spot crypto ETFs is now powering collateral workflows in regulated derivatives clearing. We expect this model to extend across more clearinghouses and margin workflows as the market moves toward always-on collateral," said Liz Martin, Coinbase VP of Markets and Head of Derivatives.
Joe Balcarcel, Chief Administrative Officer, said: "Prime Trading, LLC is excited to partner with Marex on this innovative initiative and support the continued evolution of digital asset infrastructure within traditional derivatives markets. We believe this represents an important step forward for the trading industry, as blockchain-based collateral solutions have the potential to enhance capital efficiency, improve the speed and flexibility of collateral management, and provide the ability to respond to significant market events and trading opportunities beyond traditional banking hours."
Ram Vittal, Chief Executive Officer, Marex Americas, said: "We’re proud to be at the forefront of the convergence of digital assets and traditional finance to enhance market access and responsibly reshape the financial ecosystem for clients and future generations."
For its first transaction, Marex accepted USDC as IM collateral from Prime Trading, with Coinbase’s supporting custody, settlement, and reporting infrastructure, and delivered cash to fund positions.
Marex is a leader in digital assets innovation and regulated crypto markets. In addition to being a large clearer of crypto derivatives on CME, Cboe, SGX, Coinbase Derivatives Exchange, and Bitnomial, Recently, Marex was a day one clearer for the launch of SGX Crypto Perpetual Futures, cleared the first-ever Bitcoin Friday Futures block trade and the first-ever Bitcoin Friday Futures options trade on CME.
About Marex:
Marex Group Limited (NASDAQ:MRX) provides market access, infrastructure services and essential liquidity to clients across global commodity and financial markets. The Group provides comprehensive breadth and depth of coverage across four services: Clearing, Agency and Execution, Market Making and Hedging and Investment Solutions. It has a leading franchise in many major metals, energy and agricultural products, with access to more than 60 exchanges. Marex has over 3,400 active clients, including some of the largest commodity producers, consumers and traders, banks, hedge funds and asset managers. With more than 50 offices worldwide, the Group has over 3000 employees across Europe, Asia and the Americas. For more information visit www.marex.com.
About Circle Internet Group, Inc.
Circle (NYSE:CRCL) is one of the world’s leading internet financial platform companies, building the foundation of a more open, global economy through programmable blockchain infrastructure, digital assets, and payment applications. Circle’s platform includes the world’s largest stablecoin network anchored by USDC, Circle Payments Network for global money movement, and Arc, an enterprise-grade blockchain designed to become the Economic OS for the internet. Enterprises, financial institutions, and developers use Circle to power trusted, internet-scale financial innovation.
About Coinbase
Crypto creates economic freedom by ensuring that people can participate fairly in the economy, and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) is on a mission to increase economic freedom for more than 1 billion people. We’re updating the century-old financial system by providing a trusted platform that makes it easy for people and institutions to engage with crypto assets, including trading, staking, safekeeping, spending, and fast, free global transfers. We also provide critical infrastructure for onchain activity and support builders who share our vision that onchain is the new online. And together with the crypto community, we advocate for responsible rules to make the benefits of crypto available around the world.
About Prime Trading LLC
Prime Trading LLC is a Chicago-based proprietary trading firm specializing in futures, options, equities, and digital assets across global markets. The firm combines experienced discretionary traders with systematic and quantitative trading strategies, supported by dedicated teams in operations, technology, and risk management. Prime maintains memberships and market access across major global derivatives exchanges through longstanding clearing and execution relationships, enabling it to trade a diverse range of asset classes worldwide. Through continued investment in technology and its traders, the firm remains focused on innovation, disciplined risk management, and long-term growth.
Enquiries please contact:
Nicola Ratchford / Adam Strachan
+44 778 654 8889 / +1 914 200 2508
nratchford@marex.com / astrachan@marex.com
River Communications
+19146865599 marex@riverinc.com
1 USDC is issued by regulated affiliates of Circle. See Circle’s list of regulatory authorizations.
