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|Name=Robinhood Financial, LLC|Type=Subsidiary|Founded=2013|Industry=Financial Services|Official Website=http://robinhood.com/|Logo=Robinhood (company) logo.svg}}
|Name=Robinhood Financial, LLC|Type=Subsidiary|Founded=2013|Industry=Financial Services|Official Website=http://robinhood.com/|Logo=Robinhood (company) logo.svg}}


==Background==
'''[[wikipedia:Robinhood_Markets|Robinhood Financial, LLC]],''' is a wholly-owned subsidiary of [[wikipedia:Robinhood_Markets|Robinhood Markets, Inc]]. The US app based brokerage company offers commission free stock and ETF trading ( exchange-traded funds ). Founded in 2013 by two former Stanford University room mates, the app was launched in 2015. Their mission is to democratize finance for all.  
'''[[wikipedia:Robinhood_Markets|Robinhood Financial, LLC]],''' is a wholly-owned subsidiary of [[wikipedia:Robinhood_Markets|Robinhood Markets, Inc]]. The US app based brokerage company offers commission free stock and ETF trading ( exchange-traded funds ). Founded in 2013 by two former Stanford University room mates, the app was launched in 2015. Their mission is to democratize finance for all.  
==Consumer impact summary==


===Mission statement===
===Mission statement===
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Critics argue that PFOF creates a conflict of interest, as they may prioritize routing orders to the highest paying  firms rather than ensuring the best execution for customers.
Critics argue that PFOF creates a conflict of interest, as they may prioritize routing orders to the highest paying  firms rather than ensuring the best execution for customers.


===Contradictions===
===Negative impacts===
 
==Public sphere==
 
===Negative impacts and controversies===


====Misleading Practices and Lack of Transparency====
====Misleading Practices and Lack of Transparency====
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=====Restricting Consumer Choice=====
=====Restricting Consumer Choice=====
*During the 2021 [[GameStop Short Squeeze|GameStop short squeeze]], Robinhood abruptly halted trading in meme stocks, citing clearinghouse deposit requirements. This left individual investors unable to capitalize on market movements while institutional traders faced fewer restrictions. Critics argued this violated consumer rights by favoring systemic stability over fair access.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Orcutt |first=Johnathan |date=February 25, 2021 |title=The Legal Impact: Robinhood |url=https://law.unh.edu/blog/2021/02/legal-impact-robinhood |website=unh.edu}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Cabral |first=Sarah |last2=LaCombe |first2=Amy |date=December 1, 2021 |title=Robinhood, Reddit, and GameStop: What Happened and What Should Happen Next? |url=https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/robinhood-reddit-and-gamestop-what-happened-and-what-should-happen-next/ |website=scu.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodman |first=Lawrence |last2=Lofchie |first2=Steven |last3=Lumsdaine |first3=Robin |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Robinhood and GameStop: Essential Issues and Next Steps for Regulators and Investors |url=https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/02/23/robinhood-and-gamestop-essential-issues-and-next-steps-for-regulators-and-investors/ |website=harvard.edu}}</ref>
*During the 2021 they abruptly halted trading in meme stocks, citing clearinghouse deposit requirements. This left individual investors unable to capitalize on market movements while institutional traders faced fewer restrictions. Critics argued this violated consumer rights by favoring systemic stability over fair access.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Orcutt |first=Johnathan |date=February 25, 2021 |title=The Legal Impact: Robinhood |url=https://law.unh.edu/blog/2021/02/legal-impact-robinhood |website=unh.edu}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Cabral |first=Sarah |last2=LaCombe |first2=Amy |date=December 1, 2021 |title=Robinhood, Reddit, and GameStop: What Happened and What Should Happen Next? |url=https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/robinhood-reddit-and-gamestop-what-happened-and-what-should-happen-next/ |website=scu.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodman |first=Lawrence |last2=Lofchie |first2=Steven |last3=Lumsdaine |first3=Robin |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Robinhood and GameStop: Essential Issues and Next Steps for Regulators and Investors |url=https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/02/23/robinhood-and-gamestop-essential-issues-and-next-steps-for-regulators-and-investors/ |website=harvard.edu}}</ref>


=====Exploitation of Inexperienced Investors=====
=====Exploitation of Inexperienced Investors=====
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Users are forced into mandatory arbitration, limiting their ability to seek legal redress.<ref name=":3" />
Users are forced into mandatory arbitration, limiting their ability to seek legal redress.<ref name=":3" />


===January 2021 restrictions on customer trading===
==Incidents==
On January 28, 2021, Robinhood systems restricted customer trading in certain securities for companies with heightened stock volatility,<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 Jan 2021 |title=Keeping Customers Informed Through Market Volatility |url=https://newsroom.aboutrobinhood.com/keeping-customers-informed-through-market-volatility/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Robinhood]]}}</ref> including [[GameStop]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Maggie |date=28 Jan 2021 |title=Robinhood restricts trading in GameStop, other names involved in frenzy |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/robinhood-interactive-brokers-restrict-trading-in-gamestop-s.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref> AMC Entertainment, and Bed Bath and Beyond. CNBC reported that the brokerage firm [[Interactive Brokers|Interactive Brokers (IB)]] also imposed trading restrictions on the same day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Maggie |date=28 Jan 2021 |title=Interactive Brokers restricted GameStop trading to protect the market, says Chairman Peterffy |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/interactive-brokers-restricted-gamestop-trading-to-protect-the-market-says-chairman-peterffy.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref> Additionally, CNBC noted that other brokerages, such as [[TD Ameritrade]] and [[Charles Schwab]], had increased margin requirements the day before—a move described as less 'drastic' compared to outright trading halts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Pippa |date=28 Jan 2021 |title=GameStop shares jump 68% on Friday, bringing gains for the week to 400% |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/robinhood-will-allow-limited-buying-of-restricted-securities-friday-gamestop-jumps-after-hours.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref>
 
=== Death of a trader ===
In 2020 a user committed suicide after misinterpreted a negative balance due to poor UI design, leading to backlash over risk disclosures.
 
=== GameStop short squeeze ===
''main article: [[GameStop Short Squeeze]]''


Customers should be aware that brokerages, including Robinhood, may take similar actions in the future. This poses a risk of economic harm, as investors could be artificially prevented from entering or executing trades during critical market movements.
In 2021, decisions to restrict trading fueled accusations of market manipulation and hypocrisy due to it's 'for the people' branding.


==References==
==References==
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/Robinhood_Financial"