Robinhood announces major crypto expansion, introducing tokenized stocks, perpetual futures, and staking services as it aims to become a global digital asset powerhouse.
Robinhood Markets, the trailblazing brokerage that captured global attention during the Covid-era trading boom, is making an aggressive leap into the cryptocurrency space, unveiling a comprehensive suite of new products designed to position its platform as a central hub for digital asset trading.
The company, known for its role in the meme-stock frenzy that swept markets during the pandemic, is now following in the footsteps of major crypto exchanges like Kraken and Gemini by introducing tokenized stocks for its overseas users.
As of Monday, European investors using Robinhood can trade over 200 U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through a digital ledger, with zero commission fees. This offering of “tokenized equities” will make iconic American companies like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia — as well as popular ETFs such as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF — accessible around the clock to foreign investors.
In addition to publicly listed stocks, Robinhood plans to offer tokenized shares of private companies. Executives revealed at a crypto industry event on Monday that stock tokens for high-profile firms including OpenAI and SpaceX will be made available to eligible European users this summer.
Robinhood also disclosed plans to develop its own blockchain infrastructure, which will eventually be used to record transactions for tokenized stock trades. The move signals a major investment in blockchain technology as the company seeks to solidify its place in the evolving world of digital finance.
The company’s crypto ambitions extend further. By the end of the summer, Robinhood intends to launch perpetual futures on bitcoin and ether for its European clientele. These contracts allow traders to continuously take leveraged positions — up to three times leverage — without the need for expiration dates, a feature that has become increasingly popular among professional crypto traders.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Robinhood is rolling out crypto staking services for Ethereum and Solana. Staking enables investors to earn rewards by locking their digital assets into a blockchain network to assist with transaction validation.
The move comes despite regulatory challenges in the U.S., where the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Biden administration cracked down on crypto staking, deeming it an unregistered security. The SEC’s actions led to Kraken halting its staking services for U.S. customers last year and paying a $30 million fine, though the exchange has since resumed staking in select states.
Robinhood’s intensified focus on crypto coincides with renewed interest in digital assets, as bitcoin trades near record highs. With President Trump publicly supporting cryptocurrencies and lawmakers working on legislation that could integrate digital assets into the mainstream financial system, the timing of Robinhood’s expansion appears strategic.
The brokerage has been steadily growing its footprint in the crypto sector, recently acquiring Bitstamp, a major cryptocurrency exchange, and WonderFi, a Canadian crypto financial-services firm.
Crypto trading, despite its inherent volatility, has become a lucrative source of revenue for Robinhood since the company introduced digital assets to its platform in 2018. Now, under the leadership of Chief Executive Vlad Tenev, Robinhood is pursuing an ambitious vision to evolve from a disruptive trading app into a comprehensive, global financial-services giant — with cryptocurrency at its core.
