Robinhood Goes Live on Layer-2 Mainnet as HOOD Stock Surges 8.4%

Robinhood launched the public mainnet of its Arbitrum-based Layer-2 blockchain, Robinhood Chain, during a keynote event in London on July 1, 2026. HOOD shares rose 8.4% following the announcement, reaching approximately $108. The rollout brings tokenized stock trading, DeFi lending, and an AI-powered world record attempt to the company's expanding crypto offerings.

Robinhood Chain is built on the Arbitrum technology stack, processing transactions off-chain and settling them on Ethereum. The network targets financial services and tokenized real-world assets and is designed as a permissionless system. The company claims block times of approximately 100 milliseconds and says the architecture significantly reduces transaction fees compared to mainnet Ethereum activity.

Unlike many competing chains, Robinhood Chain does not operate a proprietary token. Gas and transaction costs are denominated in Ethereum (ETH). The mainnet follows a public testnet that opened in February 2026, roughly five months prior.

Chainlink was named as the network's official data and cross-chain oracle from day one, supporting Stock Token pricing and cross-chain functionality. Robinhood joins other major companies building on Arbitrum infrastructure, including LG Electronics, which recently deployed a blockchain-based advertising network on the same stack.

Stock Tokens represent the centerpiece of the launch. Eligible users in more than 120 countries can now trade tokenized equities around the clock via Robinhood Wallet, though availability differs by jurisdiction. Uniswap joined as a launch-day partner and has deployed a dedicated liquidity protocol on the chain.

On the lending side, Robinhood Earn allows eligible US users to lend the USDG stablecoin at an estimated annual yield of 7%, an offering built on the Morpho protocol. The feature extends the company's broader Crypto Earn initiative. Competitors Binance and OKX are also reported to be exploring tokenized US stock products, intensifying pressure in this emerging segment.

During the London keynote, Robinhood also set a Guinness World Record. An AI agent, using a virtual Agentic Credit Card, completed the highest number of purchases within a three-minute window. The agent autonomously sourced, selected, and ordered gifts for event attendees, and an on-site Guinness adjudicator certified the result.

The stunt is part of Robinhood's broader push into agentic AI functionality. The company plans to expand Agentic Accounts beyond equities and options to include US crypto trading. Robinhood's own public disclosures acknowledge risks associated with AI agents, including the potential to act on outdated data, produce unexpected behavior, and be difficult to interrupt in real time.

The 8.4% gain in HOOD shares marks a notable turnaround in investor sentiment. As recently as February 2026, analysts had flagged concerns that subdued crypto trading activity could weigh on Robinhood's stock performance through the year. The mainnet launch appears to have temporarily reversed that cautious outlook.

Attention now turns to post-launch metrics. Builder activity on Robinhood Chain and transaction volumes in Stock Tokens over the coming weeks will serve as the primary indicators of whether the network can sustain institutional and retail interest beyond the initial announcement.