Nvidia has officially claimed the title of the world's largest public company, surging to a market capitalization of approximately $5.1 trillion. The AI chipmaker's GPUs are the essential infrastructure powering the global AI boom, driving its historic ascent past Apple and Microsoft.
In a significant move for the convergence of traditional finance and crypto, Nvidia's stock is now represented as a token on Robinhood Chain. The NVDA token, trading under the familiar ticker, is the flagship asset on Robinhood's new Ethereum Layer-2 network, built on Arbitrum.
Robinhood Chain launched in early July as an AI-native Layer-2 blockchain designed for tokenized real-world assets. Its primary offering is "Stock Tokens," which are tokenized debt securities issued by Robinhood Assets (Jersey) Limited that mirror the price of major equities.
These ERC-20 tokens allow for 24/7 trading and potential DeFi integration, unlike traditional stock markets with limited hours. However, a critical detail: the tokens are not available to U.S. investors, as Robinhood is targeting international markets with this regulated product.
The structure means investors own a token contractually tied to Nvidia's stock price, not direct equity ownership. This presents both opportunities, like continuous trading for international clients, and risks, including reliance on Robinhood's Jersey entity as the counterparty.