Robinhood Expands European Crypto App with Tokenized US Stocks, 24/5 Trading

Robinhood has announced a significant expansion into tokenized US stocks and ETFs across Europe, utilizing Arbitrum’s Layer 2 blockchain to facilitate 24/5 trading and dividend support. This move leverages Arbitrum’s Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solution to ensure efficient and cost-effective transactions, enhancing user experience and accessibility. The initiative transforms Robinhood’s European crypto app into a comprehensive investment platform, bridging traditional financial instruments and blockchain technology. The company also plans to develop its own Layer 2 blockchain, built on Arbitrum’s framework, designed to optimize real-world asset tokenization, enable 24/7 trading, and support seamless self-custody features. This development signals Robinhood’s commitment to pioneering blockchain infrastructure tailored for mainstream finance.

Robinhood’s decision to create a proprietary Layer 2 blockchain reflects a broader industry trend toward enhancing scalability and user control within decentralized finance. By focusing on real-world asset tokenization, the platform aims to facilitate continuous trading hours beyond traditional market constraints, offering investors unprecedented flexibility. The integration of self-custody options further empowers users by providing greater control over their digital assets, aligning with evolving regulatory standards and security expectations.

In addition to its European expansion, Robinhood is introducing crypto perpetual futures for eligible European customers. These contracts provide up to 3x leverage, allowing traders to maintain continuous market exposure without expiration dates. The platform’s interface is designed for intuitive management of positions and margins, simplifying the complexities typically associated with leveraged trading. Orders for these futures will be routed through a partner exchange, ensuring liquidity and execution quality. The rollout is underway and anticipated to reach full availability by the end of summer 2025, marking Robinhood’s inaugural venture into leveraged crypto derivatives targeted at active retail traders seeking enhanced market participation.

In the US market, Robinhood has expanded its offerings by enabling users to stake Ethereum and Solana directly within the app, providing a streamlined avenue for earning staking rewards and participating in blockchain network validation. This feature positions Robinhood competitively against native wallets and dedicated staking providers by offering a regulated, centralized platform with attractive reward rates. Additionally, Robinhood is upgrading its trading infrastructure with several professional-grade features, including smart exchange routing, tax lot selection, and advanced mobile charts. These enhancements aim to elevate the retail trading experience by integrating sophisticated tools within Robinhood’s native environment, catering to both novice and experienced investors.

Robinhood’s multi-faceted expansion underscores its ambition to evolve beyond a traditional crypto exchange into a holistic investment platform. By combining tokenized assets, derivative products, staking capabilities, and advanced trading tools, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of digital finance innovation. The forthcoming launch of its proprietary Layer 2 blockchain will further solidify this vision, potentially setting new standards for asset tokenization, trading accessibility, and user empowerment. As Robinhood continues to roll out these initiatives, investors can anticipate a more versatile and accessible platform tailored to the evolving demands of digital asset markets.