# Robinhood

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/robinhood
> research date 2026-05-30 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Robinhood — official](https://robinhood.com/)

## Overview

**Robinhood** is **the most-used US stock trading app + retail brokerage commission-free pioneer** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [United States report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/US)</sup>. **2026 baseline**: 10.8M Robinhood app users (most app users across all stock trading apps); 2018 cryptocurrency trading launch (Bitcoin + Ethereum + Dogecoin + Litecoin); Q2 2021 peak 18.9M monthly active users; Jul 29 2021 NASDAQ IPO ($1.9B raised; HOOD ticker); 2024 Bitstamp $200M acquisition; 2024 The Marathon Group AI futures trading + UK + EU expansion.

**Distinctive Robinhood positioning** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Most app users across all stock trading apps** (10.8M users as of 2026)
- **US retail brokerage commission-free pioneer** (Robinhood launched commission-free trading 2014 → forced industry-wide commission elimination 2019)
- **2018 cryptocurrency trading launch** — distinctive US brokerage crypto integration
- **Jul 29 2021 NASDAQ IPO** ($1.9B raised; HOOD ticker; founder Vlad Tenev + Baiju Bhatt) — distinctive US retail brokerage IPO
- **Jan 2021 GameStop short squeeze "PFOF + trading halt" controversy** — distinctive US retail brokerage controversy
- **2024 Bitstamp $200M acquisition** — distinctive US brokerage crypto exchange acquisition
- **2024 UK + EU expansion** — distinctive US brokerage international expansion

## History

**2013 — Robinhood founded by Vlad Tenev + Baiju Bhatt** in Menlo Park, California.

**Mar 2015 — Robinhood mobile app launches** — distinctive US commission-free retail brokerage pioneer.

**Feb 2018 — Robinhood Crypto launches** with Bitcoin + Ethereum + Dogecoin + Litecoin support.

**Jan 2021 — GameStop short squeeze "PFOF + trading halt" controversy** — distinctive US retail brokerage controversy (Robinhood halts buying of GME + AMC + BB + NOK + KOSS).

**Jul 29 2021 — NASDAQ IPO** ($1.9B raised; HOOD ticker; Q2 2021 peak 18.9M monthly active users) — distinctive US retail brokerage IPO.

**2024 — Bitstamp $200M acquisition** + **UK + EU expansion** — distinctive US brokerage crypto + international expansion.

**2026**: 10.8M Robinhood app users (most app users across all stock trading apps) <sup>[2][2]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Robinhood Markets Inc.** (NASDAQ: HOOD).

**Major shareholders**: **Vlad Tenev (co-founder) + Baiju Bhatt (co-founder) + DST Global + Index Ventures + NEA + Ribbit Capital + Sequoia Capital + public float**.

**Regulators**: **SEC + FINRA + state-level securities regulators + NYDFS (BitLicense for Robinhood Crypto LLC)**.

## Technical integration

Robinhood mobile app (iOS + Android) + robinhood.com online + Robinhood Cash Card (debit card) + Robinhood Retirement (Roth + Traditional IRA + 401(k)) + Robinhood Wallet (self-custody crypto wallet) + Robinhood Gold (subscription tier) + Robinhood Connect; Robinhood Financial LLC (broker-dealer); **Robinhood Crypto LLC (NYDFS BitLicense)**; **Bitstamp (post-2024 $200M acquisition)** — distinctive Robinhood crypto exchange.

## Users & growth

**2026**: 10.8M Robinhood app users (most app users across all stock trading apps); **Q2 2021 peak 18.9M monthly active users**; 60%+ active accounts trading cryptocurrency in 2021 with Dogecoin 60%+ of crypto transactions Q2 2021.

## Use cases

US (+ UK + EU + Australia) retail commission-free trading: stocks + ETFs + options + cryptocurrencies + Robinhood Cash Card + Robinhood Retirement + Robinhood Wallet (self-custody crypto) + Robinhood Gold subscription tier; distinctive **commission-free US retail brokerage pioneer** + **2018 crypto integration** + **2024 Bitstamp $200M acquisition** + **2024 UK + EU expansion**.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD).

**Subsidiaries**: **Robinhood Financial LLC (broker-dealer)** + **Robinhood Crypto LLC (NYDFS BitLicense)** + **Robinhood Money LLC** + **Bitstamp (post-2024 $200M acquisition)** + **Robinhood Wallet** + **Robinhood Securities**.

**Major US retail brokerage competitors**: [Fidelity Investments](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/fidelity-investments) (US #1 by AUM) + [Charles Schwab (Schwab Mobile + Charles Schwab Bank)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/charles-schwab) (US #2; post-2020 TD Ameritrade $26B acquisition) + [E-Trade (Morgan Stanley)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/etrade) (Morgan Stanley subsidiary post-2020 $13B acquisition) + [Interactive Brokers (IBKR)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/interactive-brokers) (IBKR; global commission-free + professional broker) + [Webull](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/webull) (US commission-free + Chinese fintech US brokerage post-Apr 11 2025 NASDAQ SPAC listing) + [M1 Finance](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/m1-finance) (US automated investing) + SoFi Invest ([SoFi](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/sofi) investment arm; US neobank + investment) + Public.com (US social investing).

**Regulators**: SEC + FINRA + state-level + NYDFS (Robinhood Crypto BitLicense).

## Fun facts

- **Most app users across all stock trading apps** (10.8M users as of 2026).
- **US retail brokerage commission-free pioneer** (Robinhood launched commission-free trading 2014 → forced industry-wide commission elimination 2019).
- **2018 cryptocurrency trading launch** — distinctive US brokerage crypto integration.
- **Jul 29 2021 NASDAQ IPO** ($1.9B raised; HOOD ticker; Q2 2021 peak 18.9M monthly active users).
- **Jan 2021 GameStop short squeeze "PFOF + trading halt" controversy** — distinctive US retail brokerage controversy.
- **2024 Bitstamp $200M acquisition** + **2024 UK + EU expansion** — distinctive US brokerage crypto + international expansion.

## Comparison

| Feature | Robinhood | [Fidelity Investments](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/fidelity-investments) (US #1 by AUM rival) | [Charles Schwab (Schwab Mobile + Charles Schwab Bank)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/charles-schwab) (US #2 post-TD Ameritrade rival) | [Interactive Brokers (IBKR)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/interactive-brokers) (IBKR global professional broker rival) | [Webull](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/webull) (US commission-free + Chinese fintech US brokerage rival) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD)** | Fidelity Investments (FMR LLC; Johnson family-owned private) | The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) | Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR; S&P 500 since Aug 28 2025) | Webull Corporation (NASDAQ: BULL) |
| Type | **Most-used US stock trading app + 10.8M users + commission-free pioneer + crypto + Bitstamp + UK + EU expansion** | US #1 by AUM ($15+ trillion) + Fidelity Brokerage + Fidelity Crypto | US #2 post-2020 TD Ameritrade $26B acquisition + thinkorswim platform | Global professional broker + 170+ markets + 4,368,000 trades/day (DARTs) + $1,480M 2Q2025 adjusted net revenues | US commission-free + Chinese fintech US brokerage + 25.9M registered users Q3 2025 |
| Country | US + GB + AU | US | US + GB + HK + SG + AU | US + 170+ markets | US + JP + KR + UK + AU + 14+ markets |
| Distinctive | **2013 founding by Vlad Tenev + Baiju Bhatt; Mar 2015 mobile app launch (US commission-free retail brokerage pioneer); 2018 Robinhood Crypto launch; Jan 2021 GameStop short squeeze controversy; Jul 29 2021 NASDAQ IPO; 2024 Bitstamp $200M acquisition + UK + EU expansion** | 1946 founding by Edward C. Johnson II; Johnson family-owned private | 1971 founding by Charles Schwab; 1975 commission-free trade pioneer | 1978 founding by Thomas Peterffy; world's largest electronic broker by DARTs | 2017 founding by Wang Anquan; Apr 11 2025 NASDAQ SPAC listing via SK Growth Opportunities Corporation merger |

## Status

**Active, most-used US stock trading app + retail brokerage commission-free pioneer** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD)** since 2013 founding by Vlad Tenev + Baiju Bhatt.
- **Mar 2015 mobile app launch + 2018 crypto launch + Jul 29 2021 NASDAQ IPO + 2024 Bitstamp $200M acquisition + 2024 UK + EU expansion**.
- **10.8M Robinhood app users (2026)**.
- **SEC + FINRA + state-level + NYDFS regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/robinhood-statistics/ "Robinhood Revenue and Usage Statistics — Business of Apps"
[2]: https://investingintheweb.com/brokers/robinhood-statistics/ "Robinhood Statistics — Investing in the Web"
[3]: https://www.statista.com/statistics/822176/number-of-users-robinhood/ "Robinhood users and ARPU — Statista"
[us-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/US

- [1] [Robinhood Revenue and Usage Statistics — Business of Apps][1]
- [2] [Robinhood Statistics — Investing in the Web][2]
- [3] [Robinhood users and ARPU — Statista][3]
- <sup>[United States report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/US)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/US-united-states.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [robinhood.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/robinhood). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.