Robinhood is reportedly developing blockchain infrastructure aimed at enabling European retail investors to trade US securities, according to a Bloomberg News report dated May 7. The brokerage platform is said to be exploring a partnership with a digital asset company to facilitate this initiative, with Arbitrum and Solana being considered as possible blockchain layers to support the system. Sources familiar with the project indicated that discussions are ongoing, and no definitive decision has been made concerning the choice of technology partner or the launch timeline. Robinhood declined to comment on the issue, and representatives from Offchain Labs, the creator of Arbitrum, as well as the Solana Foundation, have yet to respond to related inquiries. This plan aims to broaden Robinhood’s offerings in Europe beyond crypto trading, encompassing the full range of its services within the European Union. In April, Robinhood secured a brokerage license in Lithuania, enabling it to provide stock trading and investment services throughout the EU. Additionally, the company signed an agreement to acquire the crypto exchange Bitstamp, though the deal is still awaiting completion. This acquisition would grant Robinhood access to Bitstamp’s MiFID-licensed multilateral trading facility, paving the way for crypto-linked derivatives trading in the region. Blockchain infrastructure to support securities trading The infrastructure being developed intends to tokenize US equities, representing them on a public blockchain to be traded by users in Europe. Although the design is still evolving, such a system promises advantages like near-instant settlement, reduced costs, and enhanced transparency throughout the trade lifecycle. Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev has previously expressed enthusiasm for tokenized securities.

In February, he wrote to investors emphasizing that tokenized shares of private companies hold strong appeal for US investors. By establishing a blockchain-based framework for cross-border securities trading, Robinhood positions itself to compete in a market segment that integrates traditional equities with digital asset technology. The selection between Arbitrum and Solana will affect factors such as network throughput, transaction fees, smart contract functionality, and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility.