Financial services firm Robinhood (HOOD) has expanded its crypto and investing offerings, enabling European users to access tokenised US stocks and giving American customers the opportunity to earn rewards by staking cryptocurrencies such as ethereum (ETH-USD) and solana (SOL-USD). This development represents a significant milestone for the fintech company as it aims to integrate the rapidly evolving blockchain space with conventional finance. In a discussion with Yahoo Finance Future Focus, Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s senior vice president and general manager of crypto, described how the platform is utilizing blockchain technology to modernize outdated systems and provide investors with a unique experience. Central to Robinhood’s expansion in Europe is the introduction of tokenised US stocks and ETFs—digital assets on the blockchain that represent real equities. These “stock tokens” allow users in 31 European countries to trade over 200 US stocks and ETFs, including major companies like Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Tesla (TSLA), without incurring commission or spread fees. Instead, Robinhood charges a 0. 10% foreign exchange fee. Kerbrat explained, “Right now, what we're launching in Europe is that EU customers will have access to 200-plus US stocks and ETF tokens, and stock token holders will also receive dividends directly in their app. ” This enables European users to participate in the US market—traditionally costly due to regulatory hurdles and currency exchange expenses—while also receiving dividends similarly to conventional shareholders.

Although these tokenised shares are synthetic representations backed by financial instruments, the trading experience closely mirrors that of traditional stocks. “It's less about trading a crypto product. It's more about leveraging crypto benefits for improvements, ” Kerbrat noted. Tokenisation—the process of converting physical assets into digital tokens on a blockchain—has been acclaimed as one of the most promising crypto innovations. BlackRock (BLK) CEO Larry Fink recently described it as the “next generation for markets. ” For Robinhood, stock tokenisation is not merely technological excitement; it’s about enhancing efficiency. “We’ve been clear that the traditional finance system is somewhat outdated and not aligned with how people use products today, ” Kerbrat said. “We believe blockchain will boost efficiencies, cut waiting times, and lower fees and costs for customers. ”