Robinhood just made its biggest crypto infrastructure play yet: Robinhood Chain, a custom Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, is now live on public testnet.
The chain is purpose-built for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) — think equities, ETFs, and private assets living onchain with 24/7 trading, self-custody, and DeFi composability. This isn't a pivot away from traditional finance; it's an attempt to merge the two.
The Tech Stack
Robinhood Chain runs on Arbitrum Orbit, inheriting Ethereum's security while offering the throughput and cost profile needed for high-frequency trading applications. Key infrastructure partners:
| Partner | Role |
|---|---|
| Arbitrum/Offchain Labs | L2 framework (Orbit) |
| Chainlink | Oracles for price feeds |
| LayerZero | Cross-chain bridging |
| Alchemy | Node infrastructure |
| Allium | Data indexing |
| TRM | Compliance/AML |
The testnet includes standard developer tooling — docs, block explorer, faucet — but optimized for RWA use cases like tokenized asset platforms, lending protocols, and perpetual futures exchanges.
What Leadership Is Saying
Johann Kerbrat, SVP and GM of Crypto and International at Robinhood:
"The testnet for Robinhood Chain lays the groundwork for an ecosystem that will define the future of tokenized real-world assets and enable builders to tap into DeFi liquidity within the Ethereum ecosystem. We look forward to building alongside our infrastructure partners as we work to bring financial services onchain."
Steven Goldfeder, Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain Labs:
"With Arbitrum's developer-friendly technology, Robinhood Chain is well-positioned to help the industry deliver the next chapter of tokenization and permissionless financial services."
The $1M Arbitrum Commitment
Robinhood committed $1 million to the 2026 Arbitrum Open and will host global Buildathons and in-person Founder Houses to bootstrap the developer ecosystem. The message is clear: they want third-party builders creating apps on Robinhood Chain, not just internal products.
Why This Matters for HOOD
This builds on Robinhood's mid-2025 announcements — EU stock tokens on Arbitrum, perpetual futures, expanded staking — but the dedicated L2 signals deeper ambitions:
- Revenue diversification: Chain fees, staking, DeFi integrations
- Regulatory moat: Working with regulators (TRM partnership) while competitors face enforcement
- Platform lock-in: If your assets live on Robinhood Chain, switching costs increase
- 24/7 markets: Tokenized equities don't need market hours
The risk? Execution. Building a regulated, compliant L2 that bridges TradFi and DeFi is hard. But if anyone has the retail distribution to make it work, it's Robinhood with its 24M+ funded accounts.
Testnet Capability Breakdown
| Aspect | What's Live | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Tech | EVM-compatible; Arbitrum Orbit; ~11.5s block time; Ethereum settlement | Proven Arbitrum stack; financial-grade reliability | Testnet instability possible; low activity (~2,700 txns, ~700 addresses) |
| Key Features | Tokenized RWAs (test Stock Tokens); programmatic trading; self-custody; DeFi integrations | Strong RWA focus (unique vs general L2s); oracle/cross-chain partners | No mainnet features yet; compliance tools not fully public |
| Developer Tools | Docs, Blockscout explorer, faucet, MetaMask/Hardhat compatibility, Robinhood Wallet integration coming | Easy entry for ETH/Arbitrum devs; grants/events incentives | No custom SDKs yet; basic toolkit |
| Use Cases | Deploy contracts; build tokenized asset apps, lending, perps | Ideal for RWA/DeFi builders; permissionless | Testnet only (fake assets); no production bridging |
| Maturity | Early experimentation stage | Solid foundation; strong partners; TradFi-onchain positioning | Pre-mainnet; tools are foundational |
Bottom line: Solid foundation for Ethereum/Arbitrum devs to prototype RWA apps. Excels in security and tokenization potential but limited to testing — no real economic activity yet. Mainnet expected later in 2026.
Timeline
- Mid-2025: Initial announcement of Robinhood Chain plans
- Feb 11, 2026: Public testnet launch (today)
- 2026 TBD: Mainnet launch expected
The testnet is live now for developers. Mainnet timeline hasn't been announced, but given the infrastructure partnerships already in place, production could come faster than expected.
Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD) reported Q4 2025 earnings yesterday, with revenue growing 34% YoY to $1.01B. The stock is up 180% over the past year.
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