Robinhood is preparing to introduce tokenized stock trading in the United States following a recent regulatory development. On September 17, 2026, the SEC issued a five-year conditional Innovation Exemption, which permits qualified platforms to facilitate the trading of tokenized National Market System stocks on blockchain networks.
The company currently operates its Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 blockchain launched on July 1, 2026. This service is available in over 120 countries, excluding the US. As of early September 2026, Robinhood Stock Tokens accounted for approximately 60% of the total volume of tokenized equity transfers.
Current international offerings, launched in June 2025 for the EU and EEA, consist of tokenized debt securities covering about 200 equities and ETFs. These tokens do not provide voting rights or direct share ownership. To meet the SEC's new conditions, which require the preservation of shareholder rights and issuer consent, Robinhood will likely need to restructure its token model for the US market.
CEO Vlad Tenev has advocated for regulatory clarity to enable real-time settlement and reduce reliance on traditional market infrastructure. Unlike standard US stock markets, which operate for limited hours, the tokenized platform supports 24/7 trading and integration with decentralized finance protocols for lending and liquidity provision.
