Robinhood

Robinhood is a U.S.-based financial technology company that offers commission-free trading of stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, and cryptocurrencies through its mobile app and website. Founded in 2013 by Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt, the platform aims to democratize finance for all by making investing accessible to everyone, especially younger and first-time investors.

Robinhood gained popularity for eliminating trading fees at a time when most brokers still charged commissions, forcing many competitors to follow suit. Its user-friendly interface and simple onboarding process attracted millions of users, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of meme stocks like GameStop and AMC.

In addition to trading, Robinhood offers features such as:

• Robinhood Gold: A premium subscription with benefits like margin trading, research reports, and higher instant deposit limits.

• Cash Management: A checking and savings-like feature offering interest on uninvested cash.

• Cryptocurrency Trading: Support for major coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin.

• IPO Access: Allows users to invest in certain initial public offerings before they start trading on public markets.

The company went public itself in July 2021 under the ticker symbol HOOD on the NASDAQ.

Despite its success, Robinhood has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny over issues like outages, payment for order flow, and its role in market volatility.