Robinhood Pushes Deeper Into Crypto With Own Blockchain, Tokenized Stock Launch.

June 30, 2025
Retail brokerage giant Robinhood is significantly expanding its footprint in the digital asset space with the launch of its own blockchain platform and plans to introduce tokenized versions of U.S. stocks, the company announced Wednesday. The move marks Robinhood’s most ambitious step yet into the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, positioning it as a key player in bridging traditional finance with blockchain-based innovation.

Dubbed “Robinhood Chain,” the new Layer 2 network is built atop Ethereum and designed to enable fast, low-cost transactions while integrating directly with Robinhood’s trading app. It will serve as the foundation for the company’s next phase of crypto-native offerings, starting with tokenized equities—digital representations of real-world stocks that can be traded 24/7.

Bridging Traditional Markets With DeFi

“We believe the future of finance is on-chain,” said Johann Kerbrat, General Manager of Robinhood Crypto, in a statement. “With Robinhood Chain and tokenized stocks, we’re making financial markets more accessible, transparent, and programmable for everyone.”

Robinhood’s tokenized stock launch will initially include a curated selection of major U.S. equities—including names like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia—offered as fully collateralized tokens pegged 1:1 to their real-world counterparts. These assets will be compliant with U.S. securities regulations and available to both retail and institutional clients in select jurisdictions.

A Strategic Expansion Into Digital Infrastructure

Robinhood Chain is designed to integrate the company’s existing crypto offerings—including wallet services and its growing stablecoin infrastructure—with a more flexible, composable blockchain environment. Developers will be able to build DeFi applications on the chain, and users will benefit from low gas fees, fast settlement, and native access to tokenized assets.

The company said its blockchain will be open-source, and a developer toolkit will be released later this summer. A testnet is already live, with a mainnet launch planned for Q4 2025.

“This isn’t just a crypto play,” said David Keller, fintech analyst at JMP Securities. “It’s about Robinhood evolving into a full-stack financial services platform that operates natively on blockchain rails.”

Industry Reactions and Competitive Landscape

Robinhood’s announcement comes amid a broader wave of tokenization initiatives led by institutions such as BlackRock, Fidelity, and JPMorgan, all of which are exploring blockchain-based representations of real-world assets. However, Robinhood is the first retail-focused broker to roll out its own chain and offer tokenized equities at scale.

Industry reaction was largely positive, with some noting the move could put pressure on traditional brokers to modernize their infrastructure.

“Robinhood is blurring the line between fintech and crypto-native finance,” said Meltem Demirors, Chief Strategy Officer at CoinShares. “They’re taking a bold approach by creating infrastructure rather than just offering access.”

Still, regulatory scrutiny is expected. Tokenized securities remain a gray area in some jurisdictions, and compliance will be key to ensuring long-term adoption and institutional participation.

Looking Ahead

Robinhood’s crypto business has grown steadily since its initial foray in 2018, and the company now facilitates billions in monthly digital asset trading volume. Its Robinhood Wallet, launched in 2024, already supports cross-chain swaps and stablecoin payments, positioning the firm to compete with both centralized exchanges and decentralized protocols.

The launch of Robinhood Chain and tokenized stocks signals a deepening commitment to blockchain innovation—one that could reshape how retail investors access financial markets in the years ahead.

Conclusion

With this strategic expansion, Robinhood is no longer just a brokerage offering crypto alongside stocks—it’s now a builder of core financial infrastructure, aiming to redefine how assets are traded, settled, and stored. Whether this marks a new era for tokenized finance remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Robinhood is betting that the future of investing will be on-chain.