Robbinhood Highway Surges with Crypto Push: Introduction of Layer-2 Chain, Stock Tokens, and Additional Features
In a significant stride towards merging AI and wealth management, Robinhood, the popular financial services platform, has announced the acquisition of Pluto, an AI-based investment research product. This acquisition, unveiled on June 30, 2025, at the "Robinhood Presents: To Catch A Token" event, marks a significant expansion of Robinhood's crypto offerings.
Robinhood's latest expansion includes a broad range of developments, primarily focused on the European market and extending to the US. The company has rolled out its crypto services across 31 countries in the EU and EEA, significantly increasing from only 6 countries previously.
One of the key offerings is the introduction of perpetual crypto futures in Europe, starting this summer. These futures will offer up to 3x leverage and will initially be available for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). Orders will be routed through Bitstamp's perpetual futures exchange, following Robinhood's $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp earlier in June 2025.
Robinhood has also launched crypto staking for eligible customers, initially in the US with Ethereum and Solana (SOL), and in the EU and EEA since last year. There are promotional offers for a deposit boost of 1% for transferring crypto into Robinhood, with the potential to double to 2% if total deposits reach $500 million.
In addition, European customers now have access to tokenized US stocks and ETFs with zero commission trading (only a 0.10% FX conversion fee applies). These tokens support dividends and stock splits, enabling 24/5 trading access. This effectively transitions Robinhood in Europe from a crypto-only app to an all-in-one crypto and stock investment platform.
Robinhood also revealed plans to launch its own Layer 2 blockchain, called the Robinhood Chain, optimized for real-world asset tokenization. This blockchain will enable seamless 24/7 trading, bridging, and self-custody features, further integrating traditional finance with crypto technology. The Robinhood Chain is based on the Ethereum Layer 2 network Arbitrum, but no exact launch date has been announced.
In a podcast interview last year, Robinhood's CEO, Vlad Tenev, mentioned the company's ambitions to play a role in the merging of AI and wealth management. The acquisition of Pluto is a testament to this ambition, aiming to enhance Robinhood's investment research capabilities.
Robinhood's latest moves have been well-received, with the company's shares up 10% today, trading at all-time highs. The company's aggressive expansion in the crypto space is set to democratize access to complex financial instruments while streamlining investment experiences across crypto and traditional assets.
- Robinhood's acquisition of Pluto, an AI-based investment research product, signifies a further integration of AI and wealth management within the fintech industry.
- The company's ambitious plans include the launch of its own Layer 2 blockchain, the Robinhood Chain, designed for real-world asset tokenization, bridging traditional finance and crypto technology.
- With the introduction of cryptocurrency staking, perpetual crypto futures, and tokenized US stocks and ETFs, Robinhood aims to transform from a crypto-only app into an all-in-one crypto and stock investment platform, democratizing access to complex financial instruments while streamlining investment experiences.
