Robinhood announces the launch of tokenized stocks among its products and aims to develop its own layer-2 blockchain.
Tokenized stocks: the new offering from Robinhood
The announcement by Robinhood on the expansion of its crypto offering introduces a disruptive element in the world of investments. From June 2024, the company began offering the trading of tokenized stocks – digitized versions of stocks and ETFs listed in the United States – to European users. These securities, issued on the Arbitrum blockchain (layer-2 of Ethereum), allow trading 24 hours a day during weekdays, thus paving the way for a new financial experience characterized by continuous availability and transaction efficiency.
Furthermore, the more than 200 tokenized titles available are directly accessible through the European app of Robinhood, which thus transforms from a simple trading platform into an all-in-one investment app powered by crypto. Consequently, the company is betting on a clientele increasingly attracted to unified and innovative solutions.
Robinhood’s proprietary blockchain
One of the most interesting aspects is the development of a proprietary blockchain inspired by Arbitrum technology. The new network, defined as layer-2, will be optimized to handle tokenized assets, offering a platform oriented towards self-custody, bridging cross-chain, and seamless trading. At the moment, an official release date has not been announced, but reliable sources suggest that the debut could take place between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
According to CEO Vlad Tenev, these technological choices “lay the foundation for making crypto the backbone of the global financial system.” Robinhood’s vision goes far beyond trading of digital assets: it aims to build a new digital infrastructure capable of unifying various types of financial instruments on a single secure and accessible platform.
The tokenization of RWA and the market expectation
The tokenization of assets represents a hot trend in the fintech sector. It allows bringing real-world assets – stocks, funds, real estate – onto the blockchain, offering faster settlement, reduced costs, and global access 24/7. The potential value of the tokenized asset market could reach 18.9 trillion dollars by 2033, according to research conducted by Ripple and BCG. This explains why Robinhood has chosen to develop its own tokenization engine, without outsourcing but building a native and scalable solution.
This innovative move fits into a scenario of increasing competition: platforms like Bybit, Kraken and Gemini have already started offering tokenized shares. Coinbase itself is seeking regulatory approvals to launch a similar service. However, Robinhood focuses on technological efficiency and full control of the supply chain, integrating the issuance and trading process within the company ecosystem.
Robinhood sees tokenizzazione as a tool to broaden access to investments historically reserved for an elite clientele. As Tenev himself emphasized, the spread of digitized assets represents an important step for the democratization of finance, especially if accompanied by a clear regulatory framework for tokenized securities in the United States.
New crypto features: Perpetual Swaps in Europe and Staking in the United States
In addition to the main offering of tokenized stocks, Robinhood strengthens its crypto presence by introducing further innovations. In particular, for European users, the possibility to trade perpetual futures debuts, a very popular type of derivative that allows speculation on price fluctuations of cryptocurrencies without expiration dates. These products are managed through Bitstamp, a historic exchange acquired by Robinhood for 200 million dollars.
Simultaneously, in the US market, crypto staking arrives through the Robinhood app. American investors can now stake assets like Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), meaning immobilize their tokens in exchange for rewards generated by the blockchain’s operation.
This functionality allows generating passive income without having to leave the application, further integrating the value proposition intended for the American audience.
Credit Card: Cashback Auto-Investito in Crypto
Another innovation concerns the carta di credito of Robinhood, to which the possibility of automatically converting cashback into digital assets will be added. This option, expected in the fall, will offer U.S. customers a direct way to accumulate crypto by leveraging daily expenses. Furthermore, the feature further consolidates the strategy of integrating asset digitali into the most common financial habits.
A new standard for global investment
The push by Robinhood towards the tokenization of stocks ushers in a phase where digital asset, fintech, and blockchain converge towards increasingly inclusive, transparent, and continuous finance. The ability to offer innovative tools such as tokenized equities, proprietary blockchain, perps, and staking in a single app strengthens Robinhood’s position as a central hub of the digital investment ecosystem.
For investors, these innovations represent unprecedented opportunities for access, personalization, and control of capital. At the same time, the growth prospects of the tokenized market and the development of native infrastructures could progressively redefine the role of traditional finance.
The journey of Robinhood thus strengthens the idea that the future of finance will pass through digital, personal custody, and the freedom to trade tokenized shares and global assets anywhere and at any time. It remains to be seen whether adoption will exceed expectations and what impact it will have on the democratization of investments on a global level.
