Robinhood has launched Robinhood Chain, a layer 2 blockchain solution built on Arbitrum, marking the brokerage's expansion into decentralized finance and real-world asset tokenization. The mainnet launch enables users to trade tokenized assets and access DeFi protocols through Robinhood's infrastructure.
The layer 2 network leverages Arbitrum's scalability framework to reduce transaction costs and settlement times compared to mainnet Ethereum. By integrating tokenized assets—including equities, bonds, and commodities—Robinhood Chain aims to bridge traditional finance with blockchain-native trading, allowing retail investors direct access to on-chain real-world assets alongside DeFi instruments.
The move positions Robinhood as an institutional player in the RWA (real-world assets) sector, which has attracted significant capital inflows from major financial firms. The Arbitrum integration also signals growing mainstream adoption of layer 2 solutions, as established brokerages increasingly deploy blockchain infrastructure to compete in decentralized markets.