Chris Fernando 
Robinhood Markets, the brokerage platform, has announced the development of a layer-2 blockchain and introduced new products and services as part of its cryptocurrency expansion. The announcement coincided with a surge in the Arbitrum token, driven by speculation of a partnership. Robinhood confirmed it is building its layer-2 blockchain on Arbitrum, which will be used for the tokenization of real-world assets.
The layer-2 blockchain is part of a broader suite of services and solutions designed to transform Robinhood’s trading app into a digital assets hub. “Our latest offerings lay the groundwork for crypto to become the backbone of the global financial system,” said Vlad Tenev, Robinhood chairman and chief executive officer.
In addition to the Arbitrum-powered blockchain, Robinhood Markets has launched U.S. stock and exchange-traded fund (ETF) tokens in the European Union. These tokenized U.S. stocks aim to reach over 400 million people across 30 EU and European Economic Area countries, expanding the company’s European app from a crypto-only offering to a more comprehensive platform.
“Crypto was built by engineers for engineers, and has not been accessible to most people,” said Johann Kerbrat, general manager and senior vice president of Robinhood Crypto. “We’re onboarding the world to crypto by making it as easy to use as possible—with the goal of bringing powerful tools into one intuitive platform.”
Access to over 200 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs will initially be provided via Arbitrum, with ETF tokens eventually transitioning to Robinhood’s new layer-2. EU customers will also gain access to crypto perpetual futures with up to 3x leverage, which Robinhood plans to roll out this summer. Furthermore, the platform is introducing crypto staking in the U.S., beginning with Ethereum and Solana.
Over the past year, Robinhood has increased its focus on becoming a prominent crypto platform, notably through its acquisition of Bitstamp. In May 2025, Robinhood also announced its all-cash acquisition of WonderFi, a Canadian crypto firm.
