Robinhood has launched a public testnet for Robinhood Chain, its proprietary Ethereum layer-2 network built using Arbitrum’s technology stack, as the brokerage moves deeper into onchain settlement and tokenized assets.
The testnet is now available to a limited group of developers and infrastructure partners, who can begin testing integrations, access points, and tooling ahead of a planned mainnet launch later this year.
“The testnet lays the groundwork for an ecosystem focused on tokenized real-world assets and access to DeFi liquidity within Ethereum,” said Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s SVP and general manager of crypto and international.
Focus on tokenized assets and settlement infrastructure
Robinhood Chain is positioned as a financial-grade Ethereum network, with early development centered on tokenized real-world assets alongside native digital assets.
Layer-2 networks process transactions off Ethereum’s main chain while settling back to it for security.
The network supports standard Ethereum development tools and is fully compatible with the Arbitrum ecosystem. Developer documentation and testnet access points are now live, allowing teams to begin application testing and infrastructure validation.
Infrastructure partners begin integration
Several major crypto infrastructure providers have already begun integrating with Robinhood Chain, including Alchemy, Allium, Chainlink, LayerZero, and TRM, according to the company.
“We now have Alchemy, LayerZero, Chainlink, and other large crypto infrastructure providers onboard,” Kerbrat told Fortune.
Robinhood said additional partners are expected to join as testing expands.
The testnet phase will be used to identify technical issues, evaluate network performance, and refine developer workflows ahead of the mainnet launch.
In the coming months, developers will also gain access to testnet-only assets, including stock-linked tokens for integration testing, as well as direct testing with Robinhood Wallet, which is scheduled to roll out before the mainnet launch.
Direct access through Robinhood’s products
Once Robinhood Chain goes live, users will be able to transact through both the Robinhood Wallet and the main Robinhood app, with blockchain mechanics handled in the background.
“When the mainnet is live, customers will be able to interact directly with the chain.”
Kerbrat said the goal is to allow users to engage with onchain assets without needing to manage wallets, gas fees, or network configuration manually.
Policy friction limits U.S. rollout
While Robinhood is laying the groundwork for onchain settlement through its Ethereum layer-2, regulatory constraints in the U.S. continue to shape which products can reach domestic users. Earlier this month, CEO Vlad Tenev urged lawmakers to accelerate crypto legislation, arguing that policy gridlock is blocking features already available elsewhere.
In a January 15 post on X, Tenev said staking remains unavailable to Robinhood customers in four U.S. states, while tokenized stock products are offered in Europe but not in the U.S.
“Staking is one of the most requested features on Robinhood, but it’s still unavailable to customers in four U.S. states due to the current gridlock,” Tenev wrote.
“Stock Tokens are available to our customers in the EU, but not in the U.S.”
The comments come as Congress debates a crypto market structure bill intended to clarify oversight between the SEC and CFTC and set clearer rules for tokenized assets and decentralized finance.
Progress has slowed in recent weeks, with Senate committee markups delayed and Coinbase withdrawing support for the current draft over concerns around tokenized equities and DeFi restrictions.
Gunel Ismayilova
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