3 U.S. Brokerage Stocks for Investors Watching Coinbase Stock and Retail Trading Volumes

When a president leans on the Federal Reserve to cut rates despite solid jobs data, and even floats threats around trade, markets tend to reassess risk in a hurry. Volatility can pull more everyday traders onto online brokerage platforms as they react to rapid moves or hunt for short term opportunities. This article looks at three U.S. brokerage platform stocks exposed to this news backdrop and how each might fit, or not fit, in a portfolio.

The stocks covered below are only a small sample of this theme, and the full screen surfaced 17 more U.S. online brokerage and trading platform companies with equally compelling stories that are not discussed here. If you want to identify and analyze those additional opportunities in a structured way, head straight to the U.S. Online Retail Brokerage Platforms screener.

MarketWise (MKTW)

Overview: MarketWise is a content and technology platform for self-directed investors, selling subscription based financial research, education, software, and trading tools across brands like Stansberry Research, Chaikin Analytics, InvestorPlace, and TradeSmith. It sits squarely in the retail trading ecosystem because its revenue is closely linked to how active individual investors are when markets turn volatile.

Operations: MarketWise generates about $318 million in revenue from internet information provider activities focused on subscription investment research and tools.

Market Cap: $287 million

MarketWise provides a way to gain exposure to retail trading cycles without owning a broker directly, since its subscriptions and tools cater to investors who react quickly to headlines and rate or policy uncertainty. Analysts see a difference between the current share price and their fair value estimates, yet the stock carries clear trade offs, including thin profit margins, negative shareholder equity and a very high dividend that is not covered by earnings. Recent guidance pointing to declining GAAP net revenue and a swing from profit to loss in 2026 adds another layer of caution. If you are weighing this stock, the key consideration is whether the potential valuation opportunity and cash returns justify those balance sheet and earnings risks when volatility increases.

MarketWise looks caught between thin margins, balance sheet strain and what some see as a valuation gap. Before deciding how that trade off fits your approach, review the 4 key rewards and 4 important warning signs (1 is major!)

Webull (BULL)

Overview: Webull is a digital investment platform that lets retail investors trade stocks, options, crypto and other assets through its U.S. licensed broker dealer and a mobile first app used across multiple countries. It fits this online brokerage screener closely because its revenue is tightly linked to trading activity, margin use and options volume when policy uncertainty and volatility pick up.

Operations: Webull currently generates about US$674 million in revenue from its brokerage activities.

Market Cap: US$5.3b

Webull gives you focused exposure to the online brokerage theme at a time when policy noise around interest rates and trade can stir up trading volumes. Analysts expect revenue and earnings growth tied to higher activity in equities, options and crypto, and some see the current share price as below their fair value estimates. At the same time, profit margins of 6.3% and a high P/E leave limited room for disappointment if volumes cool or retail behavior shifts. Funding that relies on external sources rather than customer deposits also adds another layer of risk if markets become stressed. For investors who accept those trade offs, Webull can be a way to gain exposure to volatility driven order flow and AI powered tools without owning a traditional bank broker.

Webull’s revenue story and 6.3% profit margin raise a bigger question: How much is trading activity already priced into the stock, and what hidden pressure points matter most in the 2 key rewards and 2 important warning signs?

Coinbase Global (COIN)

Overview: Coinbase Global runs a large crypto trading platform that acts as a primary account for U.S. retail investors and institutions, giving them a place to buy, sell and hold digital assets when policy headlines and volatility pick up. It also offers a pool of liquidity for institutional trading and a suite of tools for developers building onchain, which ties its fortunes closely to trading activity across the broader crypto market.

Operations: Coinbase Global generates about US$6.0b in data processing revenue across its platform, with around US$5.2b from the United States and roughly US$1.0b from international markets.

Market Cap: US$50.8b

Coinbase Global gives you direct exposure to retail trading behavior in crypto at a time when policy noise around rates and trade is pushing more investors to look beyond traditional markets. The company is working to shift more of its business toward higher margin services like derivatives, tokenization and subscription products, yet it still relies heavily on trading volumes and carries funding risk because it does not use customer deposits to support its balance sheet. At the same time, management is pushing for clearer U.S. rules, arguing that consistent regulation could support more onshore activity and broader adoption of onchain products. If you want a broker-like angle on crypto where regulation, volatility and valuation are all in play, Coinbase Global is hard to ignore.

Coinbase Global is trying to shift from pure trading swings to a broader onchain ecosystem, yet the real story sits in how that mix shows up in the analysis report for Coinbase Global

Seeking Fresh Alternatives Before Others?

Markets can move from quiet to breakout quickly, and the freshest ideas do not stay under the radar for long. Before momentum is flying elsewhere and you get caught chasing, consider taking action while conditions remain favorable for your strategy.

• Identify companies with established income streams and resilient payouts before yields start changing by scanning the 11 dividend fortresses curated for staying power when volatility rises.
• Explore fast moving AI opportunities that already generate profits, not just headlines, by reviewing the 72 profitable AI stocks that aren't just burning cash built to filter out cash burners.
• Monitor potential infrastructure activity by tracking power technology builders through the 39 power grid technology and infrastructure stocks while that corner of the market is still relatively under the radar.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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