The fintech platform Robinhood is making waves in the European market with a bold expansion of its cryptocurrency and investment offerings. At the Robinhood Presents: To Catch a Token event held in Cannes, France, CEO Vlad Tenev unveiled a new suite of services designed to transform the Robinhood app into a comprehensive, crypto-powered investment platform for European users. This strategic move underscores Robinhood’s growing ambition to bridge traditional finance and digital assets.
Launching Tokenized US Stocks and ETFs in the EU
Robinhood is rolling out Robinhood Stock Tokens, enabling eligible European Union (EU) customers to gain exposure to over 200 US stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) directly through the app. These tokenized assets represent a major leap forward in financial accessibility, allowing EU investors to diversify into American equities without the friction of traditional brokerage barriers.
One of the most compelling features? Zero commissions and no additional spreads from Robinhood. The platform promises full support and 24/7 access, aligning with the always-on nature of blockchain-based trading. Importantly, holders of these stock tokens will also receive dividend payments directly within the app, streamlining what has traditionally been a complex cross-border process.
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Built on Blockchain: From Arbitrum to Robinhood’s Own L2
Initially, these tokenized stocks will be issued on Arbitrum, a leading Ethereum layer-2 (L2) scaling solution. However, Robinhood has revealed plans to migrate these assets to its own custom-built L2 blockchain, also based on Arbitrum technology. This dedicated chain is being engineered specifically for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and will support key functionalities such as:
- 24/7 trading
- Seamless cross-chain bridging
- User self-custody options
By building its own blockchain infrastructure, Robinhood is positioning itself at the forefront of the RWA tokenization trend—an emerging frontier where physical and financial assets are represented digitally on-chain.
Crypto Perpetual Futures Now Live in the EU
In another major development, Robinhood has launched crypto perpetual futures for eligible customers across the EU. These derivatives offer continuous trading exposure with up to 3x leverage, giving traders greater flexibility in managing their positions without expiration dates.
All perpetual futures orders are routed through Bitstamp’s dedicated futures exchange, following Robinhood’s recent $200 million acquisition of the Luxembourg-based crypto exchange. This acquisition not only strengthens Robinhood’s European regulatory footprint—granting it over 50 global licenses—but also provides immediate access to a mature derivatives trading infrastructure.
The full rollout of perpetual futures is expected by the end of summer 2025, marking a significant enhancement to Robinhood’s crypto trading capabilities in Europe.
US Customers Gain Access to Crypto Staking
While EU users gained staking access in 2024, Robinhood is now extending crypto staking to eligible US customers. The service launches with support for Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), two of the most widely held proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies.
Staking allows users to earn passive income by participating in network validation. With this rollout, US investors can now grow their holdings directly within the Robinhood app—without needing third-party wallets or exchanges.
To incentivize early participation, Robinhood is offering a limited-time 1% deposit boost for users who transfer crypto into their accounts. If total deposits reach $500 million, that bonus will double to 2%, creating a community-driven milestone that could accelerate adoption.
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Introducing Cortex: AI-Powered Investment Insights
Later this year, Robinhood plans to launch Cortex, an AI-driven investing assistant designed to help users interpret market dynamics in real time. Early testers will gain access to personalized insights, trend analysis, and event-based market commentary.
As Tenev explained, “This is designed to help customers quickly understand price movement and market shifts in real time.” Cortex aims to demystify complex financial data, making advanced analytics accessible even to novice investors—a step toward fulfilling Robinhood’s mission of democratizing finance.
A Strategic Push Into Crypto Through Acquisitions
Robinhood’s rapid expansion into digital assets has been fueled by strategic acquisitions. In addition to buying Bitstamp, the company acquired WonderFi, a Canadian firm operating regulated crypto platforms, for $179 million. These moves have accelerated Robinhood’s global compliance posture and expanded its product development capacity.
Earlier in June 2025, Robinhood also introduced micro futures contracts for Bitcoin (BTC), Solana (SOL), and XRP—allowing traders to enter positions with significantly lower capital requirements. This lowers the barrier to entry for retail investors interested in crypto derivatives.
Since launching crypto trading in 2018, Robinhood has steadily evolved from a stock-trading app into a full-fledged digital asset platform. Today, its integration of stocks, ETFs, staking, futures, and AI tools reflects a vision of unified, user-friendly finance powered by blockchain technology.
Johann Kerbrat, General Manager and SVP of Robinhood Crypto, emphasized this vision: “Crypto was built by engineers for engineers, and has not been accessible to most people. We’re onboarding the world to crypto by making it as easy to use as possible—with the goal of bringing powerful tools into one intuitive platform.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What are Robinhood Stock Tokens?
A: They are blockchain-based tokens representing ownership in US stocks and ETFs, allowing EU investors to trade American equities with zero commissions and 24/7 access via the Robinhood app.
Q: Are Robinhood’s stock tokens available worldwide?
A: Currently, they are only available to eligible customers in the European Union. Expansion plans beyond the EU have not yet been announced.
Q: How does crypto staking work on Robinhood?
A: Users can stake supported cryptocurrencies like ETH and SOL directly in-app and earn rewards over time by helping secure the network through delegated validation.
Q: What is the benefit of using perpetual futures?
A: Perpetual futures allow traders to maintain leveraged positions indefinitely without expiration dates, offering greater flexibility than traditional futures contracts.
Q: Is Robinhood’s new blockchain open-source?
A: While details are still emerging, Robinhood has indicated its L2 will be built on Arbitrum’s open-source framework, suggesting strong compatibility with existing Ethereum tools.
Q: Can I withdraw my tokenized stocks to an external wallet?
A: Not currently. Stock tokens are custodied within the Robinhood app, though future self-custody features are planned as part of the new L2 rollout.
Final Thoughts
Robinhood’s latest moves signal a clear intent: to become a dominant player in the convergence of traditional finance and decentralized technology. By launching tokenized US equities, crypto futures, staking, and AI-powered analytics—all underpinned by its own blockchain infrastructure—Robinhood is crafting a holistic investment ecosystem tailored for the digital age.
For EU investors, this expansion opens unprecedented access to global markets. For crypto enthusiasts worldwide, it represents another step toward mainstream adoption—powered by simplicity, innovation, and smart technology.
As the line between conventional and digital finance continues to blur, platforms like Robinhood are leading the charge in redefining what it means to invest in the 21st century.