Robinhood has seen strong early activity on the public testnet of its new blockchain, which is a major step in its journey into tokenized finance. In its first week of being available to the public, the network processed four million transactions, according to its CEO, Vlad Tenev.
In a post shared on X on February 19, 2026, Tenev mentioned that developers are already working on creating apps based on the company’s Layer 2 network, which is dedicated to tokenized real-world assets and financial services. The next financial system will operate directly on the blockchain.
Robinhood launched the public testnet of Robinhood Chain last Tuesday. The blockchain was developed as an Ethereum Layer 2 solution with technology provided by Arbitrum. The blockchain was in private testing for six months before opening up to the public.
The company created a design for a chain that would be permissionless and allow for a high volume of transactions, which would be required for financial applications.
Additionally, it would allow for tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds, as well as other real-world assets. To improve its infrastructure, the company worked with other major blockchain service providers, such as Alchemy, LayerZero, and Chainlink.
The significant increase in transaction activity during the first week is a clear indication of the high developer participation at the start. This comes at a time when the crypto segment at Robinhood has been under pressure. In its latest quarterly report, the company revealed a decline in crypto transaction revenue by 38%, reaching $221 million in the fourth quarter.
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Robinhood Targets 24/7 Tokenized Trading Expansion
Despite this, Robinhood still plans to expand its plans in the blockchain space. Last month, the company revealed its plans to expand its tokenized stocks with features such as 24/7 trading, near-real-time settlement, and self-custody. Tokenization has been described by Tenev as unstoppable, comparing it to a freight train that will eventually change the financial system.
The company has not announced a specific date for the mainnet launch of Robinhood Chain, but it is expected later this year. If the early testnet momentum continues, the company could strengthen its position in the growing market for tokenized assets and blockchain-based financial services.
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