• Robinhood is developing a blockchain-based platform to trade US assets in Europe, expanding its crypto and international strategy.
  • The move follows recent EU expansion, including a Lithuanian broker license and pending Bitstamp acquisition.
  • Crypto now drives over 43% of Robinhood's transaction revenue, with tokenization emerging as a key focus.

Building a Blockchain Bridge for US Assets

Robinhood Markets Inc. is quietly developing blockchain technology that would allow European investors to trade US-listed assets, according to people familiar with the matter. The initiative marks the trading platform's most ambitious foray yet into distributed ledger technology, building on its growing cryptocurrency business and recent international expansion.

The plans come just months after Robinhood secured a Category A financial broker license from the Bank of Lithuania - the highest available tier - which allows passporting services across the European Union. Company executives have described Europe's regulatory clarity around digital assets as "a blueprint" for global expansion during recent earnings calls.

Crypto's Rising Star

Transaction data reveals why blockchain has become central to Robinhood's strategy. Crypto trading generated $252 million in Q1 2025 revenue - doubling year-over-year and comprising 43% of all transaction-based income. While volumes dipped 35% sequentially from Q4 2024's $71 billion frenzy, they still showed 28% annual growth at $46 billion.

"We're excited about our global crypto ambitions," CEO Vlad Tenev told analysts last quarter, highlighting pending acquisitions like Bitstamp that would add nearly 50 international licenses. The company has expanded its crypto offerings from 21 to 26 coins in the US and 39 to 48 in Europe this year alone.

Tokenization Frontier

Sources say the European blockchain platform would initially focus on tokenized versions of US equities and ETFs - essentially digital twins of traditional securities that could trade around the clock. Robinhood has been actively lobbying US regulators for clearer rules around asset tokenization while praising Europe's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.

The company recently co-launched the Global Dollar Network featuring its USDG stablecoin, which executives see as potential infrastructure for cross-border asset trading. European customers already enjoy features like crypto staking that remain unavailable to US users due to regulatory uncertainty.

When reached for comment, a Robinhood spokesperson declined to discuss "speculative product roadmaps" but reiterated the company's commitment to "democratizing finance through technological innovation." Analysts suggest the blockchain move could help Robinhood differentiate itself in the crowded European neobroker space while circumventing traditional settlement inefficiencies.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to clarify Robinhood's existing European crypto offerings.