Digital Brokerage Expands Crypto Offerings with Tokenized Equities

Robinhood Markets has launched a groundbreaking layer-2 blockchain solution built on Arbitrum technology, enabling European investors to trade tokenized versions of U.S. stocks and ETFs. The new platform offers access to over 200 digital asset representations with zero-commission trading available 24/5, marking a significant expansion of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization in regulated markets.

Beyond Traditional Market Hours

The California-based fintech firm revealed its extended trading window through a Monday announcement, highlighting how blockchain technology eliminates traditional market constraints. ——This represents the first major brokerage to offer round-the-clock equity trading in Europe——, potentially disrupting the continent's €10.2 trillion investment market.

【Key Feature】: - 24/5 trading availability - 200+ tokenized US securities - Zero commission structure - Built on Arbitrum's layer-2 network

Strategic Acquisitions Fuel Expansion

Robinhood's European push follows its recent $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp, through which it will route perpetual futures contracts offering 3x leverage. The move comes weeks after introducing micro futures for major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and Solana, demonstrating a clear strategy to bridge traditional and crypto markets.

Tokenization Race Heats Up

While Robinhood pioneers this service among mainstream brokerages, crypto-native platforms like Gemini already offer tokenized equities such as MicroStrategy's MSTR. The RWA sector has grown to $24 billion according to RedStone data, though tokenized stocks represent less than 2% of this total.

【Market Context】: - $24B total RWA market value - $400M in tokenized equities - Ethereum dominates 60% of RWA sector - Private credit leads adoption

Regulatory Framework Development

The brokerage has actively engaged U.S. regulators, proposing a national framework for RWAs that includes plans for a Real World Asset Exchange. This hybrid platform would combine off-chain trading with on-chain settlement, addressing current regulatory uncertainties surrounding security tokens.

Global Tokenization Trends

As of June 2025, the RWA sector shows accelerating growth with U.S. Treasury products and private credit instruments leading adoption. Robinhood's European venture tests whether retail investors will embrace tokenized traditional assets at scale, potentially paving the way for similar offerings in other jurisdictions.

——Industry analysts suggest this could trigger a domino effect among competing platforms——, particularly as blockchain infrastructure matures and regulatory clarity improves in key markets. The success of Robinhood's initiative may determine how quickly tokenization moves from niche innovation to mainstream financial service.