Robinhood CEO Predicts Tokenization Will Transform Trillions โin Financialโ Assets
SINGAPORE – Robinhood CEO Vladโ Tenev forecastsโฃ tokenization โwill fundamentally reshape the financial landscape, expanding the accessible market forโ real-world assets from โa lowโข single-digit valuation โฃto potentially “dozens of trillions” of โฃdollars. Speaking at the token2049 conference in Singapore, Tenev described โtokenization as “aโ freight train” poised โto overhaul the existing financial system.
The shift to โtokenizing assets – representing โownership of real-world โฃitems likeโ stocks, real estate, or commodities as digitalโข tokens on a blockchain – promises to broaden investment access and lower trading fees. This comes as Robinhood itself hasโฃ begun offering tokenized sharesโ as June, โa move that โฃquickly drew scrutinyโฃ from regulators, including those in the European Union.The company reported a doubling of cryptocurrency revenue in the second quarter, reaching $160 million, signaling digital assets are now โaโ key growth โคdriver.
Tenev believes theโข convergence ofโค cryptocurrencies and traditional finance is inevitable, envisioning a future where “everythingโ will be on-chainโ in one form or another.” โHe โhighlighted the United States’ existing, functionalโ financial โinfrastructure as a factor potentially slowing widespread adoption, โขsuggesting a more gradual, rather than rapid, transition to full tokenization.
“Theโ financial system works in practice,” Tenevโ explained,comparing the current situation โto a well-maintained,if slower,train system. โ”That’s why we โdon’t have bullet trains – trains at a moderate speed transport just โas well.”
The trend, โthough, is expected to gainโฃ momentum globally, extending beyond the United States, according to Tenev.