Robinhood Plugs Tokenized Stocks for Europeans at French Riviera Event

Traders in the EU will be able to gain exposure to these stocks, and some major exchange-traded funds (ETFs), through the purchase of digital tokens which represent shares of ownership.

Private companies too

Robinhood will also offer tokenized shares in private companies, including OpenAI and SpaceX, as well as crypto staking for US users and crypto perpetual futures for EU users. 

Tokenized stocks are blockchain-based digital assets backed by real equities and held by a licensed custodian. Robinhood's tokens mirror live market prices and can be traded 24/5. Fractional ownership is supported, enabling users to buy a sliver of a share, removing entry barriers for younger or cost-sensitive investors.

Tokenization advocate

Robinhood’s CEO Vlad Tenev has been a consistent advocate of tokenization, strategically steering the company towards a leading role in this rapidly evolving digital asset space. 

On Robinhood’s website, Tenev emphasized the broader vision behind these efforts, stating, “Our latest offerings lay the groundwork for crypto to become the backbone of the global financial system.” This signals Robinhood’s ambition to reshape how value is created and transferred globally.

At the “To Catch a Token” event in Cannes, where the Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC) is running this week, Tenev highlighted the transformative potential of tokenization, saying:

“I believe that tokenization is gonna open the door to a massive trading revolution, making it possible to own or even fractionally own all kinds of real-world assets.” 

Democratizing impact

His remarks underscore the democratizing impact that tokenized assets could have, breaking down barriers to ownership and expanding access to markets once limited to institutional investors.

Beyond trading, Tenev has described tokenization as a revolutionary financial concept poised to unlock new wealth streams and facilitate instant, cross-border payments.