TLDR
- Robinhood launched the public mainnet for Robinhood Chain.
- Robinhood Chain is built on Arbitrum as an Ethereum layer-2 network.
- Robinhood Stock Tokens are available in over 120 countries.
- Robinhood Earn lets eligible users lend USDG for about 7% APY.
- HOOD stock rose over 8% after the Robinhood Chain launch.
HOOD stock rose on Wednesday after Robinhood launched the public mainnet for Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum layer-2 network built on Arbitrum for tokenized assets and decentralized finance.
Robinhood said the network is designed to connect traditional finance with crypto-based markets. The company described Robinhood Chain as “AI-native” and said it supports tokenized stock trading, DeFi use cases, and AI agent activity.
Shares of Robinhood closed at $108.65, up more than 8% on the day. The stock has gained nearly 20% over the past month, though it remains below its 52-week high of $153.86.
Robinhood Launches Arbitrum-Based Chain
Robinhood Chain is a layer-2 blockchain built on Arbitrum. The network launched about four months after the company began testing it on testnet.
The company said the network includes integrations from BitGo and Chainlink. It also has partnerships with Uniswap and Pleiades for automated market making and trading-related infrastructure.
Robinhood said the chain aims to support tokenized real-world assets and DeFi applications. The platform could allow users to trade on-chain assets and use them in lending pools or as collateral.
Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s senior vice president and general manager of crypto and international, said,
“Decentralized finance unlocks possibilities beyond what traditional finance can offer, but historically, it has required technical expertise to navigate.”
Tokenized Stock Trading Goes Live
Robinhood also launched its Stock Tokens, which represent tokenized, on-chain versions of public company shares. These products include tokenized exposure to major companies such as Nvidia and Apple.
Stock Tokens are available through Robinhood Wallet in more than 120 countries, though access depends on local rules. The feature is not available to U.S. users.
The company said eligible users can trade tokenized equities around the clock. Robinhood also plans to let users place these assets into DeFi lending pools or use them as collateral.
The product expands Robinhood’s push beyond traditional brokerage services. It also places the company deeper into the growing market for tokenized real-world assets.
Robinhood Adds Earn and AI Trading Tools
Robinhood also introduced Robinhood Earn, a decentralized lending product for eligible users. The feature allows users to lend USDG, a dollar-backed stablecoin, through a self-custody wallet.
The company said Robinhood Earn offers an estimated annual percentage yield of about 7%. The rate may change based on market conditions and lending demand.
Robinhood also unveiled Agentic Accounts for crypto. The AI-powered feature will allow eligible U.S. users to connect AI models to Robinhood’s trading infrastructure.
The company said users will keep control over capital allocation and trading settings. The tool reflects Robinhood’s broader effort to combine AI tools with trading and crypto infrastructure.
Robinhood Expands Global Crypto Push
Robinhood also announced international expansion plans. The company said it is now serving users in Canada after acquiring WonderFi and expects to offer crypto services in the U.K. in the near future.
In Europe, Robinhood plans to expand perpetual futures trading to include commodities, ETFs, foreign exchange markets, and crypto. The company already has nearly 28 million customers across its existing business.
The product push comes after Robinhood said last month it would cut about 10% of its workforce, or around 290 employees. The company said the layoffs were part of a plan to streamline its structure.
