Robinhood Markets Investor Relations Material

Robinhood is a fintech company that provides a mobile app for investing in various financial products. Known for its commission-free trading, Robinhood has gained popularity by offering easy access to stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies. With its user-friendly interface, Robinhood aims to make investing accessible and easy for retail investors, allowing individuals to manage their investments conveniently from their mobile devices.

Founded in 2013 by two college roommates, the company emerged as a fintech startup aiming to provide commission-free trading and accessible investment opportunities to a wider audience. Even if retail investors had several options to choose between before Robinhood burst onto the scene, the company quickly gained a significant following by providing a user-friendly mobile app and simplifying the trading process. However, they’re not the only company providing a platform for retail investors. The most notable competitor that’s publicly listed is Charles Schwab.

Robinhood offers a range of investment options for its customers. Users can trade stocks of publicly traded companies listed on major stock exchanges in the US. Customers can also invest in ETFs and larger cryptocurrencies. Additionally, Robinhood allows options trading, enabling users to buy or sell options directly in the app.

Robinhood also offers a debit card, in a similar way to how big banks like Bank of America does. It allows users to spend their money directly from their Robinhood brokerage account. The card is linked to the user's Robinhood Cash Management feature, which acts as a cash management account for their investments. With the Robinhood Card, users can make purchases wherever Visa debit cards are accepted and withdraw cash from ATMs, while also earning rewards such as cashback.

One of the key aspects of Robinhoods business is the fact that they make it possible for customers to buy and sell stocks, ETF’s, and crypto without charging a commission. Instead of generating a bulk of their revenue through commissions, RobinHood makes money from a variety of different sources. These include order flow payment for directing trades to market makers, interest income from customer cash and securities balances, and premium subscription services such as Robinhood Gold. They also earn income from margin lending to customers.

Further reading: 5 Leading Online Brokers for Innovation