Coinbase Powers DeFi's Future with Supra, Samsung Alliances

Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is expanding its influence in the prediction markets sector through strategic investments and partnerships, signaling a broader push to integrate decentralized finance (DeFi) tools into mainstream adoption. The company's ventures into this space are highlighted by its backing of Supra, a Layer-1 blockchain project focused on high-performance execution engines, and its collaboration with Samsung to onboard 75 million new users. These moves come as prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket see surging activity, with trading volumes reaching $4.4 billion and $3 billion in October 2025.

Prediction markets, which allow users to wager on real-world outcomes, have gained traction as tools for aggregating collective intelligence. Kalshi, co-founded by former Wall Street traders, has become a benchmark in this space, correctly forecasting the 2024 U.S. presidential race months before traditional media outlets. The platform's success has spurred competition, with Polymarket and Limitless reporting 338,000 and 68,000 unique traders in recent months, respectively. This growth is supported by clearer regulatory frameworks and integrations with major platforms like Yahoo Finance and the UFC.

Coinbase's involvement in this ecosystem extends beyond mere observation. The exchange's venture arm has invested in Supra, which is offering a $1 million bounty for developers who can outperform its parallel EVM execution engine. Supra's CEO, Joshua Tobkin, has personally pledged his tokens to this challenge, emphasizing the project's commitment to transparency and performance. The SupraBTM engine, which underpins the platform, has demonstrated a 1.5–1.7x throughput advantage over competitors like Monad in benchmarks, according to publicly shared data. This technical focus aligns with Coinbase's broader strategy to position itself at the intersection of institutional-grade infrastructure and user-friendly DeFi applications.

Simultaneously, Coinbase is leveraging partnerships to expand crypto's user base. A collaboration with Samsung aims to onboard 75 million users through integrated financial services and loyalty products, as outlined by Ben Shen, Coinbase's Head of Financial Services & Loyalty Products. This initiative mirrors the company's earlier efforts to simplify crypto access, such as its integration with Revolut and its role in Polygon's DeFi ecosystem. The partnership's timing is strategic, coinciding with a global shift toward institutional adoption, as noted by analysts like Tony Edward.

The convergence of these efforts reflects a maturing market where prediction markets and high-performance blockchain infrastructure are becoming foundational to DeFi's evolution. As platforms like Kalshi and Supra demonstrate the utility of real-time data aggregation and execution, Coinbase's dual approach-investing in cutting-edge technology while expanding access through partnerships-positions it to capitalize on the sector's growth.