Robinhood launches crypto perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage for US traders

Robinhood is launching crypto perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage for eligible U.S. traders, routing transactions through its Bitstamp infrastructure. The rollout, announced by CEO Vlad Tenev, features eight major tokens and settles profit and loss every 15 minutes. Alongside derivatives, Robinhood is expanding its active trading suite with customizable AI trading agents and plans for 24/7 weekend stock trading, intensifying competition in the U.S. retail market.

Details of Robinhood's crypto perpetual futures

• ▪Robinhood previously launched crypto perpetual futures in the European Union in April 2026 before expanding that crypto perpetual futures offering to the U.S. market
• ▪Robinhood announced plans on September 29, 2026 to launch in-app crypto perpetual futures trading for eligible U.S. users in the coming months
• ▪Robinhood will charge a promotional trading fee of 0.01% on crypto perpetual futures trades through the end of 2026

Infrastructure and regulatory routing for futures

• ▪Robinhood Derivatives operates as a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-registered futures commission merchant and National Futures Association member to offer compliant leveraged products
• ▪Robinhood acquired global crypto exchange Bitstamp in June 2025 for approximately $200 million to secure Bitstamp's trading infrastructure and regulatory relationships

U.S. crypto perpetual futures market growth

• ▪Ondo Perps CEO David Wells stated on September 29, 2026 that crypto firms see a huge opportunity in the U.S. perps market as new regulatory avenues open up
• ▪A CFTC decision in late May 2026 cleared the way for Kalshi to list a bitcoin perpetual and for Coinbase to route U.S. clients to perps listed by its Bermuda affiliate

Robinhood's AI agentic trading features

• ▪More than 150,000 customers have opened agentic trading accounts since Robinhood first allowed connecting outside AI agents in May, with agents now making 30 million tool calls daily
• ▪Robinhood introduced Robinhood Agents, a feature allowing users to build in-app AI agents to research markets, draft strategies, and automate trades

Stock trading hours

• ▪Robinhood plans to launch 24/7 weekend trading for a curated list of U.S. stocks and ETFs through the Bruce alternative trading system in early 2027, pending regulatory review
• ▪Robinhood's existing 24 Hour Market, launched in 2023, allows users to trade hundreds of stocks and exchange-traded funds from Sunday at 8 p.m. ET to Friday at 8 p.m. ET

Debatable claims

• ▪Robinhood's 10x leveraged crypto perpetuals pose unacceptable financial risks to retail investors
• ▪Robinhood's in-app AI trading agents do more harm than good for retail investors