Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev announced significant moves during a recent interview, highlighting the company's expansion into Europe and vision for merging crypto and traditional finance.
Robinhood has officially launched its services in 31 European countries, offering tokenized stock solutions. Tenev explained that tokenized stocks address two crucial customer needs. First, European users gain seamless exposure to U.S. equities—among their most requested features. Second, tokenization signals Robinhood’s belief in a future where crypto and traditional finance fully merge. Tokenized assets offer cryptocurrency's liquidity and 24/7 trading capabilities to traditional stocks, both public and private.
"Robinhood Chain" Under Development...
Currently, Robinhood's stock tokens run on Arbitrum, an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain, but the company is developing its own blockchain—the Robinhood chain. Tenev stated the new chain aims to provide "military-grade security," fast transactions, and low costs, specifically optimized for real-world asset management, a niche currently underserved in the crypto space.
Staking, another significant development for Robinhood, recently launched in the U.S., following success in Europe. This service enables holders to earn yields on cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana. Tenev described staking as crucial since it aligns individual customers with the collective security of blockchain networks, underscoring crypto’s ethos of decentralized participation.
Looking ahead, Tenev envisions a deeper integration between decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance. Robinhood aims to transcend its original platform by building financial services entirely on blockchain technology, including payments, savings, and investments. He emphasized that stablecoins, such as USDC—which Robinhood helped develop—will play a central role in future banking, allowing interest-bearing crypto deposits.
US Companies Still Waiting on Regulatory Clarity...
However, Tenev noted regulatory barriers still exist in the U.S., particularly around tokenization and private market investing. He praised recent legislative efforts, including the Genius Bill and the Market Structure Bill, as critical steps forward. He also emphasized the urgent need for reforming accreditation standards, currently excluding most Americans from private market investments in high-value companies like OpenAI and SpaceX. Tenev expressed optimism about legislative and regulatory progress, emphasizing that the SEC already has the authority and willingness to move forward with tokenization.
In closing, Tenev reaffirmed Robinhood's dedication to leveraging crypto technology to democratize finance globally, showcasing how the future financial system might look entirely rebuilt on blockchain foundations.
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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News
