Robinhood’s
CEO Vlad Tenev laid out a roadmap for his retail trading company (NASDAQ: HOOD)
that signals a departure from the typical online brokerage model and a move
toward what he described as a “family office in your pocket.”
Speaking in
an extended interview with The Iced Coffee Hour podcast, Tenev detailed
a vision for a multigenerational financial platform that could widen access to
investing, integrate tokenized assets, and streamline services for users across
age groups.
Tenev said
the company is responding to a major shift in how Americans approach investing,
with younger users channeling discretionary spending into stocks, technology,
and cryptocurrencies .
“If it
wasn’t for Robinhood, I wouldn’t be an investor. I’d probably be spending this
money,” he said, referencing customer feedback. He noted the platform’s assets
under custody have surpassed a quarter of a trillion dollars, with average
account sizes growing well into five figures as more users consolidate their
investing activities.
One of the
more pointed aims is to turn Robinhood into a platform capable of handling the
“great wealth transfer” anticipated over the next few decades, as trillions
move from older to younger generations.
Tenev
argued that while incumbent firms often struggle to create strong multi-user
offerings, Robinhood is working to make it easier for families to manage
finances together, including offerings for children and parents. He envisions a
service that works for anyone “whether you’re zero years old or, you know, a
hundred years old.”
The company
is also exploring expanding access to minors through pilot programs and new
regulatory efforts, tying this to broader efforts to capture families’
long-term wealth management needs. Tenev linked these ideas directly to
government-backed initiatives like Invest America, which would seed children’s
accounts with exposure to major U.S. companies.
Tokenized Assets
Revolution and Private Investments
Robinhood
is investing in technology that could make tokenized assets, including U.S.
equities, private companies, and real estate, available to retail investors.
Tenev called tokenization “the biggest innovation in capital markets in well
over a decade,” highlighting live pilots in Europe and prototypes involving
SpaceX and OpenAI.
The goal,
he explained, is to allow users around the world to access U.S. stocks, trade
them around the clock, and ultimately add traditionally hard-to-reach
investments, such as art, real estate, or private equity, to their portfolios.
Robinhood
already offers tokenized stocks to its clients, a move that has proven highly
popular but has also drawn the attention of regulators.
We’re giving away the first Private Company Stock Tokens of Open AI and Space X.
If you’re a Robinhood EU customer and you qualify, you are now able to claim your tokens in-app until July 7th.#RobinhoodPresents pic.twitter.com/rkK1JKxHiC
— Robinhood EU (@RobinhoodApp_EU) June 30, 2025
Current regulations on accredited investors remain an obstacle to fully democratizing
private market access. “You can’t invest in a private company unless you’re a
high net worth individual… which shuts out 80% of people from investing in
private companies,” Tenev said. He argued that the rules feel outdated,
especially as private tech and AI companies remain out of reach for the average
investor.
The World Federation of
Exchanges recently warned that tokenized assets such as stocks could undermine
market integrity, a signal that established players may fear losing their
dominant and centralized role. Robinhood, however, has built its reputation on
disrupting incumbents. Without HOOD, the commission-free trading revolution
might never have happened.
You may also like: Everything You Need to Know About Tokenized Stocks in 2025
Social Trading Is “Sexy”
Again
Robinhood,
which originally launched as a social networking tool for investors, is
considering reopening social features, such as voluntary portfolio sharing and
copy-trading, while weighing privacy concerns and regulatory risk.
“We
launched in 2013 as a social network,” Tenev revealed adding that the
company had envisioned democratizing stock analysis: “Anyone can be an
analyst. We created this social network where people could rate stocks and
write comments.”
While the
social features were shelved to focus on commission-free trading, Tenev hinted
at a return: “Sometimes I think about that because very much in our DNA to
build those types of products. And who knows, maybe some point we’ll
revisit.”
Tenev also
hinted the company could move further into physical asset investing, making it
possible to own, track, or even transfer assets like real estate and
collectibles in a simplified digital format. Partnerships, such as those with
mortgage providers, could further integrate property ownership into the app.
Balancing Regulation,
Scale, and Customer Demand
Tenev said
Robinhood’s evolution has always been about tightening the link between price,
user experience, and access. He pointed to commission-free trading as
transformative but stressed that new product launches, like personalized
investment matches and expanding asset classes, will drive future growth.
He also
reflected on missteps, particularly during the GameStop controversy,
emphasizing the balance between communication and regulatory compliance . “It
was just to comply with regulatory requirements… if you don’t comply, they
can come in and shut down your business,” he said of the infamous trading halt.
Robinhood’s
ambition signals it may try to bypass the limits of traditional finance by
combining technology, wide asset access, and integrated family services into
one platform, though much will depend on regulation and market adoption.
“If we can
serve someone like me, all of their financial needs, that should then accrue to
everyone,” Tenev concluded.
Robinhood’s
CEO Vlad Tenev laid out a roadmap for his retail trading company (NASDAQ: HOOD)
that signals a departure from the typical online brokerage model and a move
toward what he described as a “family office in your pocket.”
Speaking in
an extended interview with The Iced Coffee Hour podcast, Tenev detailed
a vision for a multigenerational financial platform that could widen access to
investing, integrate tokenized assets, and streamline services for users across
age groups.
Tenev said
the company is responding to a major shift in how Americans approach investing,
with younger users channeling discretionary spending into stocks, technology,
and cryptocurrencies .
“If it
wasn’t for Robinhood, I wouldn’t be an investor. I’d probably be spending this
money,” he said, referencing customer feedback. He noted the platform’s assets
under custody have surpassed a quarter of a trillion dollars, with average
account sizes growing well into five figures as more users consolidate their
investing activities.
One of the
more pointed aims is to turn Robinhood into a platform capable of handling the
“great wealth transfer” anticipated over the next few decades, as trillions
move from older to younger generations.
Tenev
argued that while incumbent firms often struggle to create strong multi-user
offerings, Robinhood is working to make it easier for families to manage
finances together, including offerings for children and parents. He envisions a
service that works for anyone “whether you’re zero years old or, you know, a
hundred years old.”
The company
is also exploring expanding access to minors through pilot programs and new
regulatory efforts, tying this to broader efforts to capture families’
long-term wealth management needs. Tenev linked these ideas directly to
government-backed initiatives like Invest America, which would seed children’s
accounts with exposure to major U.S. companies.
Tokenized Assets
Revolution and Private Investments
Robinhood
is investing in technology that could make tokenized assets, including U.S.
equities, private companies, and real estate, available to retail investors.
Tenev called tokenization “the biggest innovation in capital markets in well
over a decade,” highlighting live pilots in Europe and prototypes involving
SpaceX and OpenAI.
The goal,
he explained, is to allow users around the world to access U.S. stocks, trade
them around the clock, and ultimately add traditionally hard-to-reach
investments, such as art, real estate, or private equity, to their portfolios.
Robinhood
already offers tokenized stocks to its clients, a move that has proven highly
popular but has also drawn the attention of regulators.
We’re giving away the first Private Company Stock Tokens of Open AI and Space X.
If you’re a Robinhood EU customer and you qualify, you are now able to claim your tokens in-app until July 7th.#RobinhoodPresents pic.twitter.com/rkK1JKxHiC
— Robinhood EU (@RobinhoodApp_EU) June 30, 2025
Current regulations on accredited investors remain an obstacle to fully democratizing
private market access. “You can’t invest in a private company unless you’re a
high net worth individual… which shuts out 80% of people from investing in
private companies,” Tenev said. He argued that the rules feel outdated,
especially as private tech and AI companies remain out of reach for the average
investor.
The World Federation of
Exchanges recently warned that tokenized assets such as stocks could undermine
market integrity, a signal that established players may fear losing their
dominant and centralized role. Robinhood, however, has built its reputation on
disrupting incumbents. Without HOOD, the commission-free trading revolution
might never have happened.
You may also like: Everything You Need to Know About Tokenized Stocks in 2025
Social Trading Is “Sexy”
Again
Robinhood,
which originally launched as a social networking tool for investors, is
considering reopening social features, such as voluntary portfolio sharing and
copy-trading, while weighing privacy concerns and regulatory risk.
“We
launched in 2013 as a social network,” Tenev revealed adding that the
company had envisioned democratizing stock analysis: “Anyone can be an
analyst. We created this social network where people could rate stocks and
write comments.”
While the
social features were shelved to focus on commission-free trading, Tenev hinted
at a return: “Sometimes I think about that because very much in our DNA to
build those types of products. And who knows, maybe some point we’ll
revisit.”
Tenev also
hinted the company could move further into physical asset investing, making it
possible to own, track, or even transfer assets like real estate and
collectibles in a simplified digital format. Partnerships, such as those with
mortgage providers, could further integrate property ownership into the app.
Balancing Regulation,
Scale, and Customer Demand
Tenev said
Robinhood’s evolution has always been about tightening the link between price,
user experience, and access. He pointed to commission-free trading as
transformative but stressed that new product launches, like personalized
investment matches and expanding asset classes, will drive future growth.
He also
reflected on missteps, particularly during the GameStop controversy,
emphasizing the balance between communication and regulatory compliance . “It
was just to comply with regulatory requirements… if you don’t comply, they
can come in and shut down your business,” he said of the infamous trading halt.
Robinhood’s
ambition signals it may try to bypass the limits of traditional finance by
combining technology, wide asset access, and integrated family services into
one platform, though much will depend on regulation and market adoption.
“If we can
serve someone like me, all of their financial needs, that should then accrue to
everyone,” Tenev concluded.
