Robinhood Takes Over Bitstamp to Boost Crypto Presence

Robinhood has officially acquired Bitstamp, the world’s oldest crypto exchange, in a $200 million deal that marks a significant leap in the company’s crypto strategy. This move expands Robinhood’s footprint beyond the U.S., unlocking access to markets across the European Union, the UK, and Asia.

Founded in 2011, Bitstamp brings more than just brand legacy—it delivers a trusted global presence with over 50 regulatory licenses and a strong base of retail and institutional clients. More importantly, the acquisition marks Robinhood’s formal entrance into the institutional crypto space.

With Bitstamp’s suite of services, including crypto-as-a-service, staking, and lending, Robinhood is now equipped to compete with major players offering sophisticated digital asset solutions.

Johann Kerbrat, general manager of Robinhood Crypto, called the move a “major step” in the company’s digital asset expansion, praising Bitstamp’s proven reliability and security. Bitstamp’s CEO, JB Graftieaux, also emphasized the continued commitment to compliance and user trust.

The timing is strategic. Just days before the announcement, the U.S. SEC ended its investigation into Robinhood Crypto without pursuing any action. This clears the regulatory air for Robinhood as it advances with new initiatives, including a proposal to modernize the regulation of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

The company has called for blockchain-based assets, like tokenized real estate or equities, to be governed under the same rules as their traditional counterparts.

With this acquisition, Robinhood is not only expanding geographically but also evolving into a full-spectrum crypto platform for both retail and institutional investors, poised to play a much bigger role in the next chapter of digital finance.

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