Robinhood has confirmed its intention to scale its tokenized stock initiative, despite significant criticism from OpenAI and regulators.
This is reported by Business • Media
Launch of Tokenized Stocks and Market Reaction
Robinhood’s CEO Vlad Tenev acknowledged that the launch of tokenized stocks, particularly those related to OpenAI, has generated considerable buzz among market participants. The company does not plan to scale back the new product; on the contrary, it intends to expand it. In early July 2025, Robinhood began an airdrop of tokenized stocks of private companies through the Arbitrum blockchain, including OpenAI. However, the tokens did not grant their owners any rights to a stake in the company or voting rights; they merely reflected a hypothetical market value on the secondary market.
“Being the first to truly tokenize large companies is a significant achievement. Of course, whenever you do something innovative, it generates some controversy,” Tenev stated in an interview with Decrypt.
OpenAI openly criticized Robinhood’s actions, emphasizing that it had not granted permission for the distribution of tokenized stocks and noted that the distribution occurred solely in Europe. Tenev, commenting on the situation, stressed that the company is focused not on media hype but on creating valuable financial solutions for its clients.
SEC’s Position and the Company’s Future Plans
Just a few days after the initiative’s launch, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a warning regarding the legal implications of stock tokenization. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce pointed out that regardless of the blockchain’s innovativeness, tokenized securities remain securities and are subject to existing laws. She also emphasized the need for all market participants to comply with securities regulations, even when using cutting-edge technologies.
In response, Vlad Tenev noted that the SEC’s statement was general and not specifically directed against Robinhood. According to him, the company is actively participating in shaping future regulatory frameworks for such financial instruments.
Tenev also highlighted plans to integrate tokenized stocks into the DeFi sector, elevating the product to a new level of development. He stated:
“Now the focus is on scaling the initiative to more companies and determining the path to the next phases of DeFi,” Tenev said, hinting at the upcoming integration of tokenized stocks into decentralized financial platforms.
It is worth noting that recently, the Florida state attorney’s office charged Robinhood with misinformation while promoting cryptocurrency services.