Robinhood's high-profile product launch at the Cannes Summer has completely ignited the competition among on-chain brokerages
The foundation of future global finance is Robinhood Chain.Author: BlockBeats
Can a brokerage disrupt not only the commission system but also the entire underlying architecture of global asset trading? Robinhood seems to have provided its own answer. At the recently concluded Cannes launch event in France, this giant that stirred the U.S. securities industry with zero commissions presented an imaginative vision: to fully push stocks, derivatives, and even private equity onto the blockchain through tokenization, ultimately creating a new Layer 2 public chain capable of supporting global real assets—Robinhood Chain.
This launch event was not just a simple product list but a declaration of Robinhood's vision for the next decade. Different breakthrough points were designated for the European, American, and global markets, yet they resonated with each other, collectively depicting a new order of around-the-clock trading driven by tokenized assets. This article will be divided into three parts, combining information from Robinhood's on-site launch and the broader industry context to deeply analyze this "on-chain brokerage" grand strategy.
Targeting the European Market: Tokenized U.S. Stocks + Perpetual Contracts + All-in-One Investment App
Main product information:
Robinhood launches tokenized trading for over 200 U.S. stocks and ETFs, based on Arbitrum, with more assets to be added by the end of the year.
The European app upgrades from Robinhood Crypto to "Robinhood," positioning itself as a comprehensive investment platform.
Perpetual contracts will go live this summer, with a more streamlined mobile ordering process.
Bitstamp serves as the liquidity engine for perpetual and derivative products.
Tokenized stocks support real-time dividends and stock splits.
Coverage in 31 European countries, with the ability to subscribe to SpaceX and OpenAI private tokens starting in July.
Noteworthy details:
Three-phase path:
a. TradFi custody → Robinhood mints tokens
b. Bitstamp handles weekend trading → 24/5 liquidity
c. Ultimately supports self-custody and cross-chain functionality.
Deposits made before July 7 can enjoy a 2% reward.
App renaming and UI upgrades reinforce the "super investment app" positioning.
Robinhood views European users as the vanguard of its tokenization strategy, and the reasoning is clear: the EU recently implemented MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation), which offers clearer regulations compared to the U.S., while Robinhood's penetration in the EU is far from saturated.
At the launch event, Robinhood announced that over 200 U.S. listed stocks and ETFs will be available for tokenized trading via the Arbitrum Layer 2, allowing European users to buy and sell these tokenized stocks just like trading cryptocurrencies on the Robinhood platform. With the introduction of an on-chain settlement mechanism, dividends, stock splits, and other rights will automatically update in the token holders' accounts. Users won't even need to learn complex blockchain details, seamlessly accessing a 24/5 tradable U.S. stock token market.
Robinhood stated that it will continue to expand tokenized assets by the end of the year, planning to cover "thousands of U.S. stocks and ETFs." Technically, all transactions will currently be completed in collaboration with traditional brokers for stock procurement and minting equivalent tokens, ensuring a 1:1 real holding, with plans to gradually migrate this process to the self-developed Robinhood Chain for cross-chain and self-custody capabilities.
In addition to tokenized stocks, Robinhood announced the launch of perpetual contract trading in Europe, supported by Bitstamp for trade matching and clearing. This marks the first deep integration following Robinhood's $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp last year. Robinhood emphasized the user experience innovation of perpetual contracts: the previously cumbersome margin and stop-loss configurations have been simplified into slider operations, allowing retail investors to engage with advanced leverage tools at a lower threshold.
To echo these significant updates, Robinhood has renamed its European app from "Robinhood Crypto" to "Robinhood," positioning it as an All-in-One investment super app, integrating cryptocurrencies, tokenized stocks, and perpetual contracts, aiming to establish a first-mover advantage across 31 EU countries + EEA.
Perhaps the most surprising announcement at the event was Robinhood's "private equity token" plan: starting July 7, European Robinhood users will be able to apply for the first batch of tokenized equity in SpaceX and OpenAI. This means Robinhood is breaking the traditional model of private equity being monopolized by the wealthy and institutions, opening up shares of the most watched tech startups globally to retail users in token form.
This approach addresses a long-discussed question in the blockchain community: how can ordinary people fairly participate in future wealth accumulation? Robinhood's answer is—private equity must also be tokenized, with equal access.
Targeting the U.S. Market: Advanced Crypto Trading + AI Assistant + Staking
Main product information:
Advanced charts and indicators on the Legend platform will soon support mobile.
Smart Exchange Routing will be launched to automatically match the lowest rates.
Precise holding options will be provided for easier tax management.
Staking will launch in the U.S., initially supporting ETH and SOL.
AI assistant Cortex will serve Robinhood Gold users.
The Rabbit Gold Card will later offer crypto cashback.
These features are planned to expand to Europe in the future.
Noteworthy details:
Staking activities will offer a 2% reward and eliminate thresholds.
The Cortex information stream will include token dynamics and on-chain events.
Smart Routing for large trades can go as low as 0.1% all-in.
Staking is positioned as a way to participate in "community security."
If Europe is Robinhood's tokenization testing ground, then the U.S. is undoubtedly its most solid battleground for user base. Robinhood leveraged this launch event to simultaneously release product upgrades for the U.S. market, intending to solidify its position as "the preferred platform for active traders" through deeper tools and richer investment scenarios.
First, Robinhood announced the launch of staking products in the U.S., initially supporting Ethereum and Solana, and removing the minimum staking threshold. During the promotional period, users can enjoy a 2% deposit reward, regardless of the staking amount. Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev repeatedly mentioned another layer of meaning for staking: it is not just a way to earn rewards but also an opportunity for each user to participate in maintaining network security. He stated, "The security of the blockchain comes from people; staking is also a reflection of Robinhood's desire to involve users in co-building the financial system."
In terms of trading tools, Robinhood's flagship product Legend (currently primarily on desktop) announced that it will migrate advanced charts, indicator customization, and depth order book features to mobile this summer. This move is particularly attractive to mobile traders, as there has been a significant gap between Robinhood's mobile features and the professional desktop version in the past.
Alongside Legend, Robinhood also introduced the Smart Exchange Routing feature, which searches for optimal liquidity across multiple exchanges and automatically routes orders, dynamically calculating rates based on a 30-day rolling trading volume, with a minimum of 0.1%, while eliminating the traditional maker/taker distinction. This logic is highly similar to the "smart order routing" commonly used in the U.S. stock industry and is a key step for Robinhood to attract large and quantitative crypto traders.
Additionally, Robinhood announced the AI investment assistant Cortex at the event, which will be available to Robinhood Gold users, providing comprehensive analysis that integrates market dynamics, large on-chain transfers, token news, and even company earnings reports. The goal of Cortex is to help users understand the fundamental reasons behind digital asset fluctuations, not just provide simple price alerts.
Finally, the Robinhood Gold credit card (Rabbit Gold Card) will add a "crypto cashback" feature, allowing cardholders to automatically convert cashback from daily spending into selected cryptocurrencies. Robinhood stated that this is an innovation to "break the logic of cash back," aiming to seamlessly connect users' daily lives with on-chain asset management.
Overall, Robinhood is evolving in the U.S. market from a "zero-commission brokerage" to an "on-chain asset management one-stop platform." From staking to AI, from credit cards to smart routing, all reflect Robinhood's further deepening of user lifecycle management.
Global Strategy: Robinhood Chain + Private Equity Tokens + Full Ecosystem On-Chain
Main product information:
Robinhood Chain is built on Arbitrum.
Mid-term switching between Bitstamp/TradFi liquidity will be possible.
Long-term self-custody and cross-chain migration will be allowed.
Noteworthy details:
SpaceX and OpenAI private equity tokens will be launched first, with private tokens seen as key to breaking high-net-worth barriers.
Collaborating with regulators to promote compliant on-chain activities, with plans to open up the RWA ecosystem to developers in the future.
All the products mentioned above will ultimately converge into Robinhood's "global chessboard"—Robinhood Chain.
Robinhood Chain, evolved from the Arbitrum tech stack, is positioned by Robinhood as "the first Layer 2 public chain dedicated to real assets." It will not only support Robinhood's tokenized stock trading but also facilitate the tokenization of a full range of real assets in the future, including real estate, bonds, artworks, and carbon credits.
At the launch event, Vlad Tenev outlined a "three-phase" plan:
Phase 1: After users place orders, Robinhood's U.S. brokers will purchase stocks from traditional exchanges and hold them, while Robinhood generates tokens and distributes them, ensuring a 1:1 correspondence with the physical assets.
Phase 2: Integration of Bitstamp and TradFi liquidity, allowing trading to continue even when traditional stock markets are closed (e.g., weekends, holidays).
Phase 3: Fully unlock the self-custody transfer capabilities of tokens, allowing users to migrate these Robinhood-generated assets across chains to personal wallets or other DeFi protocols.
In other words, Robinhood Chain is not only Robinhood's "Layer 2 settlement network" but will also become a public chain ecosystem open to global developers, allowing third-party projects to issue real asset tokens on it.
This model forms direct competition with the RWA (Real World Assets) strategies that Coinbase and Kraken have recently been actively exploring. The difference is that Robinhood possesses brokerage qualifications and has started with U.S. stock tokenization, having a complete compliance brokerage chain that can more quickly bridge traditional finance and blockchain compliance than purely exchange-type platforms.
Notably, Robinhood simultaneously announced the immediate issuance of OpenAI and SpaceX private equity tokens at the event. In the future, these tokens can remain liquid through Robinhood Chain even on weekends, without relying on a single custodian, and will allow for free cross-chain usage later. This attempt could change the liquidity structure of the entire private investment industry, possessing strong disruptive potential, much like Robinhood's push for the zero-commission revolution years ago.
Industry observers believe that if Robinhood successfully establishes Robinhood Chain as a global foundation for real assets, not just stocks or futures, but also real estate, artworks, and even carbon emission indicators could potentially become composable assets in Robinhood users' wallets in the future, profoundly reshaping the global financial system.
The Prototype of On-Chain Brokerages
From zero commissions to fractional trading of U.S. stocks, and now to the announcement of "Robinhood Chain," Robinhood is writing a highly continuous innovation trajectory: each step targets the barriers and inefficiencies within the traditional financial system, significantly lowering entry barriers through technological means.
When tokenization extends from a single Apple stock to a building, a private equity share, or even a piece of artwork, blockchain will no longer be just a tool for speculation but will genuinely embody the meaning of an "asset internet." Robinhood sees this opportunity and hopes to leverage its user base and brand trust to be the first to run out during this gradually clarifying regulatory window.
A report by Ripple and BCG predicts that by 2033, the global tokenized real asset market could reach $18.9 trillion. Robinhood clearly does not intend to be just an interloper but aims to become the foundational contractor of this market. The declaration made at the Cannes launch event could serve as a conclusion: "The foundation of global finance in the future is Robinhood Chain."
