Robinhood Financial: Difference between revisions
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{{InfoboxCompany | {{InfoboxCompany | ||
|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}} | ||
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===Tokenized shares=== | ===Tokenized shares=== | ||
:Robinhood's shares are blockchain-based representations of traditional stocks or private equities. Tokens mirror the price movements of the underlying assets but do not confer legal ownership of the actual shares. Instead, they function as synthetic derivatives, offering exposure to the asset’s value without traditional shareholder rights like voting or dividends. | :Robinhood's shares are blockchain-based representations of traditional stocks or private equities. Tokens mirror the price movements of the underlying assets but do not confer legal ownership of the actual shares. Instead, they function as synthetic derivatives, offering exposure to the asset’s value without traditional shareholder rights like voting or dividends.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Ainsley |date=July 14, 2025 |title=What are ‘tokenized’ stocks, and why are trading platforms like Robinhood offering them? |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91364041/tokenized-stok-trading-platforms-robinhood |website=Fast Company}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=O'Brient |first=Samuel |title=Robinhood has rolled out 'tokenized' stocks and ETFs. Here's what to know about the crypto-like assets. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-tokenization-robinhood-openai-spacex-stocks-crypto-blockchain-hood-2025-7 |website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Moukhtarzade |first=Darius |title=Turning Stocks into Tokens, Why its Cool but Complicated |url=https://www.21shares.com/en-us/research/turning-stocks-into-tokens-why-its-cool-but-complicated |website=21Shares}}</ref> | ||
;Backing mechanism | ;Backing mechanism | ||
:Actual shares are held in custody (for public stocks) or partners with brokers to back tokens with real securities. The tokens are synthetic claims tied to price performance, not equity for private companies. | :Actual shares are held in custody (for public stocks) or partners with brokers to back tokens with real securities. The tokens are synthetic claims tied to price performance, not equity for private companies.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=Robinhood Faces Regulatory Scrutiny Over Tokenized Private Company Stock |url=https://www.ledgerinsights.com/robinhood-faces-regulatory-scrutiny-over-tokenized-private-company-stock/ |website=ledgerinsights.com}}</ref> | ||
;Trading | ;Trading | ||
:Tokenized shares trade 24 | :Tokenized shares trade 24 hours a day five days a week on Robinhood’s platform via Arbitrum, an Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Patrick |first=Thompson |date=July 10, 2025 |title=Tokenized stocks explained: How Robinhood opened US markets |url=https://coingeek.com/tokenized-stocks-explained-how-robinhood-opened-us-markets/ |website=CoinGeek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mazza |first=Rosalia |date=July 5, 2025 |title=Robinhood Tokenization Push Redefines Market Hours and Investor Access |url=https://www.fintechweekly.com/magazine/articles/robinhood-tokenization-stock-trading-eu-arbitrum |website=FinTech Weekly}}</ref> | ||
;Access | ;Access | ||
:Currently available only to EU users, these tokens allow fractional ownership and bypass cross-border brokerage hurdles. | :Currently available only to EU users, these tokens allow fractional ownership and bypass cross-border brokerage hurdles.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":9" /> | ||
;Regulatory status | ;Regulatory status | ||
:Classified as derivatives under EU rules, not direct securities. Robinhood emphasizes transparency but faces scrutiny over disclosures, | :Classified as derivatives under EU rules, not direct securities. Robinhood emphasizes transparency, but faces scrutiny over disclosures involving private companies.<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Andrew |date=July 16, 2025 |title=Will Robinhood’s tokenized stocks REALLY take over the world? |url=https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/tokenized-stocks-take-over-world-robinhood-kraken-pros-cons-crypto/ |website=cointelegraph.com}}</ref> | ||
===Negative impacts=== | ===Negative impacts=== | ||
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=====Systemic Compliance Failures===== | =====Systemic Compliance Failures===== | ||
* | *Paid $29.75 million in 2025 to settle the Finance Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) probes for failing to detect suspicious account activity, leaving customers vulnerable to hacking and fraud.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stempel |first=Jonathan |date=March 7, 2025 |title=Robinhood paying $29.75 million to end US regulator's probes |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/robinhood-paying-2975-million-end-us-regulators-probes-2025-03-07/ |website=Reuters.com}}</ref> | ||
*Fined $45 million in 2025 by the SEC for failing to safeguard customer data, leading to a 2021 breach exposing millions of users’ information.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2025 |title=Two Robinhood Broker-Dealers to Pay $45 Million in Combined Penalties for Violating More Than 10 Separate Securities Law Provisions |url=https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-5 |website=SEC.gov}}</ref> | *Fined $45 million in 2025 by the SEC for failing to safeguard customer data, leading to a 2021 breach exposing millions of users’ information.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2025 |title=Two Robinhood Broker-Dealers to Pay $45 Million in Combined Penalties for Violating More Than 10 Separate Securities Law Provisions |url=https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-5 |website=SEC.gov}}</ref> | ||
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==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
=== Death of a trader === | ===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. | 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 === | ===GameStop short squeeze=== | ||
''main article: [[GameStop Short Squeeze]]'' | ''main article: [[GameStop Short Squeeze]]'' | ||