Coinbase to Expand Singapore Headcount to 200 by End of 2026

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase plans to grow its Singapore workforce from 150 to approximately 200 employees by the end of 2026, deepening its operational footprint in the city-state even as the company has reduced headcount in other markets.

The company's Singapore office, officially opened at One Raffles Quay on Wednesday, will focus its hiring on engineers, customer service personnel, relationship management staff, and institutional sales representatives, according to Hassan Ahmed, Coinbase's country director for Singapore. Ahmed shared the details in an interview with the Business Times. A Coinbase spokesperson subsequently confirmed the expansion plans to Cointelegraph.

Ahmed described Singapore as an increasingly strategic hub for cryptocurrency innovation, reinforcing the exchange's commitment to the market. The city-state has positioned itself as one of Asia's primary destinations for digital asset firms by offering a licensing pathway that provides regulatory clarity — a contrast to several jurisdictions where crypto operators face uncertain or evolving oversight.

Coinbase secured a major payment institution license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country's central bank, in October 2023. The license authorizes the exchange to extend its digital payment token services to both retail and institutional clients in Singapore.

Singapore regulates digital payment token service providers under a licensing framework administered by the MAS. According to the central bank's directory, 38 licensed entities were listed as of Thursday.

The MAS tightened its licensing requirements in 2025, a regulatory shift that prompted unlicensed firms to exit the Singaporean market. For licensed operators like Coinbase, the stricter environment may reduce competition from non-compliant entrants while underscoring the city-state's emphasis on investor protection and anti-money-laundering standards.