Robinhood has launched its own blockchain, marking a major expansion from its brokerage roots into a blockchain operator.
The company announced the mainnet launch of Robinhood Chain on July 1. The permissionless Ethereum Layer 2 network is built on Arbitrum infrastructure and features fast 100-millisecond block times, designed specifically for financial applications.
The chain will host tokenized real-world assets, including US equities and ETFs. These products, initially on Arbitrum, are transitioning to the new network. Robinhood says the blockchain is accessible to developers in more than 120 countries.
The move follows Robinhood's acquisition of crypto exchange Bitstamp in June 2025, providing institutional-grade infrastructure. The company now custodies over 51 billion dollars in crypto assets.
The focus on tokenized assets is a strategic play for international expansion. It makes US stocks accessible to users in countries where traditional brokerage access is expensive or unavailable.
Robinhood's roadmap includes launching EU perpetual futures and US staking services for assets like ETH and SOL, allowing users to earn yield. The key metrics for the new blockchain will be its total value locked and developer adoption.