On Monday, Robinhood announced it is developing an Ethereum compatible layer-2 scaling network to enable trading of tokenized assets such as stocks and ETFs, as a bridge to Arbitrum finance and blockchain.
The network, inspired by the Arbitrum future architecture, reflects Robinhood’s attempt to cast a wide network.
“We’re launching [tokenized stocks and ETFs] first in the EU, but in the future, [we] want to open it up as soon as we get clarity on regulations,” said Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s crypto general manager.
“We want the maximum participation there. We want to be compatible with other players.”
Kerbrat expressed frustration over the fragmented nature of tokenized assets across platforms, saying, “I hate the idea of having a Tesla-Kraken token and a Tesla-Robinhood token,” he told Decrypt, warning that liquidity is splintered across ecosystems.
“Instead of actually moving forward and creating a better financial system, we’re splitting [up] liquidity.”
Competing Visions for Arbitrum Prediction 2025
Robinhood’s Arbitrum prediction entry comes as other platforms, including Kraken and Bybit, are advancing similar tokenization strategies on rival blockchains. Kraken, for instance, has embraced Solana through its collaboration with Backed Finance’s xStocks Alliance, which aims to create a unified standard for tokens on Arbitrum equities.
“We’re working to make xStocks the global standard for tokenized equities,” a Kraken spokesperson said, “This isn’t about promoting any single brand—it’s about unlocking access and shifting power back to the people.”
Despite launching its own Arbitrum ecosystem layer-2 network, Ink, Kraken chose not to deploy tokenized stocks there—something Kerbrat noted with skepticism, “It’s interesting to see that they decided to not use that chain,” he said.
“Some companies are about launching as many things as possible to get as many headlines as possible. On our side, we actually want people to use a product.”
Meanwhile, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev told attendees at an event in Cannes that the firm is working closely to bridge to Arbitrum with regulators to “bring the entire Robinhood ecosystem on-chain,” with the long-term goal of using its blockchain for trading, settlement, and broader financial applications.
At the same event, Kerbrat and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin discussed Arbitrum Stylus—a tool allowing developers to write smart contracts in multiple languages, including Rust and C++. “As an engineer,” Kerbrat said, “it’s hard to find great engineers who are fluent in Ethereum’s language.”
Robinhood Arbitrum is prioritizing interoperability bridge to Arbitrum and developer accessibility, hoping its network won’t just be another layer—but a unifying force in the fragmented tokenized asset landscape.
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