Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD)

Robinhood was founded in 2013 with the mission of democratizing finance for all. It builds modern financial services platforms that use technology to give people, regardless of wealth, income or background, simple and convenient access to the financial system. The company says it was the first U.S. retail broker to offer commission-free stock trading with no account minimums, a practice the rest of the industry later adopted. It began with a mobile-first equities trading app and has since added asset classes, products and tools, including offerings for more seasoned investors.

The text centers on Robinhood's brokerage offering. Customers can trade U.S.-listed stocks, ETFs, ADRs and related options commission-free, including fractional shares starting at $1, recurring investments with dividend reinvestment, and index options. Eligible customers can use tiered margin investing, short selling (launched in the fourth quarter of 2025), and the Fully-Paid Securities Lending program, in which customers share in the interest earned when their shares are lent. Futures contracts on equity indices, energy, currencies, cryptocurrencies, metals and other commodities carry commissions and fees. Event contracts on a Prediction Markets Hub are offered through the company's CFTC-regulated FCM license for a commission per contract. In January 2026, a joint venture with SIG called Rothera acquired 90% of MIAXdx, renamed Rothera E&C, to build an independent CFTC-licensed exchange and clearinghouse. Other features include a cash sweep program to partner banks with FDIC-eligible deposits, instant withdrawals for a fee, Robinhood Retirement (traditional and Roth IRAs with a contribution match subject to a five-year holding period), joint investing accounts, and 24-hour trading of individual stocks and ETFs, five days a week. The mobile app shows market information such as historical prices, analyst ratings and charts. Robinhood Legend is a customizable browser-based desktop platform for active traders, available at no additional cost to U.S. and U.K. account holders. The text also refers to Robinhood Gold subscribers.

Robinhood serves retail customers, including first-time investors, active traders, and freelance and gig workers without employer retirement matching. Since 2024 it has offered most of its brokerage services in the U.K. through RHUK and a dedicated mobile app, with multi-currency GBP wallets and recently launched stocks and shares ISAs. Eligible EU customers can access stock tokens, derivative contracts that track U.S. stocks or ETPs 24 hours a day, five days a week, and mirror dividend payouts without conferring ownership of the underlying shares.

On the operating side, the text names partner banks for its cash sweep program and the CFTC as regulator of its futures and event contract activity. It says it prioritizes compliance and reviews customer eligibility for options and margin. The captured text does not cover suppliers, manufacturing, competitors or headquarters.