Recent clinical and laboratory observations support a potential role for the platelet FcγRIIA receptor (FcR) in collagen‐mediated platelet activation associated with arterial thrombosis. Stable age‐ and sex‐independent variation in receptor expression exists. Flow cytometry showed that 100 diabetes patients had increased mean platelet FcR expression levels compared with 201 non‐diabetes patients (P < 0·001). Aggregation studies following FcR cross‐linking supported a receptor role in increased activation of diabetes platelets after collagen stimulation (P = 0·018). Immunoprecipitation of collagen‐stimulated and FcR‐crosslinked platelets demonstrated enhanced levels of tyrosine‐phosphorylated Syk in diabetic platelets. Increased platelet FcR‐mediated sensitivity to collagen may contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in diabetes.