In a major move that signals its deeper commitment to cryptocurrency, Robinhood has officially closed its $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp, one of the world’s oldest and most trusted crypto exchanges.
What This Means for Robinhood and the Crypto Market
The acquisition, initially announced in June 2024, is now finalized—positioning Robinhood to break into the institutional crypto space while gaining a foothold across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. With this deal, Robinhood adds not only a global exchange platform but also a client base that includes thousands of institutional investors and hundreds of thousands of retail users.
Robinhood co-founder and CEO Vlad Tenev shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“Bitstamp is now part of Robinhood, adding a globally-scaled crypto exchange and our first-ever institutional crypto business. Our work is just beginning.”
Why Bitstamp?
Founded in 2011, Bitstamp is one of the longest-running crypto exchanges. It operates in countries like Luxembourg, the UK, Singapore, Slovenia, and the U.S., and holds over 50 active crypto licenses and regulatory approvals worldwide. That level of compliance and trust is rare in the crypto world—something Robinhood clearly values.
By acquiring Bitstamp, Robinhood gains access to powerful features like:
- Crypto-as-a-service
- Staking
- Institutional lending
- Deep liquidity trading infrastructure
These services mark Robinhood’s shift from focusing solely on retail investors to now serving institutional clients as well.
A Strategic Match for the Future
Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux, CEO of Bitstamp, praised the alignment between the two firms:
“As the world’s longest running crypto exchange, Bitstamp is known for trust, transparency, and compliance. Now, with Robinhood, our users can expect an even better trading experience.”
Robinhood Crypto, which already operates under a license from the New York State Department of Financial Services, plans to fully integrate Bitstamp’s experienced team to drive global growth and innovation.
What’s Next?
This acquisition could reshape the competitive landscape of crypto trading. With Bitstamp’s reputation and Robinhood’s reach, the combined force is expected to unlock new opportunities in institutional finance and global crypto adoption.
For Robinhood, this isn’t just about expanding services—it’s about becoming a key player in the next evolution of the crypto industry.
