What is Robinhood?
Robinhood is a free investment and stock trading app that allows users to invest in stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies and more. Robinhood was first launched on Apple phones and other products (AAPL), and Android versions are now available.
The creators of Robinhood, founded in 2013, were Vladimir Tenev and Baiju Bhatt. They were originally engaged in the creation of software for hedge funds, after which they teamed up to build a company that will make investing accessible to all people.
The Robinhood app quickly became popular due to its zero fees, as well as simplified access to the stock market. The company focuses on small investors – it does not require a large initial deposit. In addition, you can buy single shares through the application. These two factors set Robinhood apart from the "classic" brokers.
In 2012-2013, before the launch of Robinhood, the average US brokerage commission was $10 per order. For a small private investor who wants to send part of the savings into securities every month, this was too much expense. The proposal from Tenev and Bhatt appealed to the public because it's economical, fast, and convenient. With Robinhood, you can invest in stocks, ETFs, options, cryptocurrencies.
The Robinhood app, like any other securities brokerage, is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company has implemented a number of security measures to protect users' money and data. Robinhood investments up to $500,000 for securities and up to $250,000 for cash are insured. This provides investors with calm trading.
Robinhood Key Facts
Broker: Robinhood
Official site: https://robinhood.com
Social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Blog
Foundation date year: 2013
Main office: 85 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States
Company owner: Robinhood Markets Inc.
Support types Languages: English
Terminals: Author's platform
Min. first deposit: From 1 USD No minimum deposit amount
Broker commission: No
Entry threshold: There are no restrictions on the minimum deposit.Requires 2000 USD to access margin trading
Authorized capital: 539 million USD from venture investors
Equity: 4 billion USD
Turnover per month: 24 billion USD
Number of active clients: 13000000+
Free demo account: No
Adjustable: Yes
Regulators: FINRA, SEC# 008-69188
Account types: Instant, Gold, Cash Management
Replenishment methods: Bank card (Visa/MC), Bank transfer
Withdrawal methods: Bank card (Visa/MC), Bank transfer, Cash Management
Asset types: Stock, ETF, commission-free investments in individual companies or investment packages
Binary Options: CryptocurrencyBuying/selling Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies without commissions
Account currencies: USD
Mobile trading: There are mobile applications (iOS/Android)
Weekend trading: No
Tournaments/competitions: No
Trader education: There is an information center on the site and an information blog
Trust management: No
Terminal fee: No
Withdrawal fee: Robinhood does not charge any withdrawal fees, but fees may be charged by the receiving bank
Trading robots: No
Asset Management: No
Help from managers: No
Trading Ideas: When subscribing to Gold, the user receives information from Morningstar
Single account: Yes
ISS: No
Autofollow: No
Analytics: Investment Ideas, Morningstar Market Review, Issuer News
Margin trading: Leveraged trades available. Commission on margin transactions - 2.5%
Available exchanges: NYSE, NASDAQ, etc.
Whose shares can be purchased: Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Tesla Motors, Microsoft Corporation, Ford, 5000+ US stocks
Affiliate program
Registration: Available upon request for content makers, webmasters
Is Robinhood Regulated?
The company is regulated by FINRA. This is the US Financial Services Regulatory Service. Robinhood is also administered by the SEC – the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Shares are traded through ROBINHOOD FINANCIAL, LLC, a Delaware entity. CRD Registry Number 165998, SEC Registry Number 8-69188. Robinhood.com says that customer securities in platform accounts are protected by SIPC for up to $500,000. This information is verified by the SIPC registry.
The cryptocurrency division of the broker Robinhood Crypto LLC is licensed to provide services (license number 61417) issued by the State of Georgia and a fund transfer license obtained in New Jersey (license number 1803456-C22).
Can You Trust Robinhood?
Given that the app is a securities brokerage, Robinhood is regulated by the SEC. It is also a voluntary member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The money in the app is protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which insures investments of up to $250,000 for cash and up to $500,000 for securities. However, besides the rules and security measures set in place to protect users from any kind of security issues, there are additional issues related to the format and interface of the application that can be of great danger to novice investors.
All customers of the company must read and accept the user agreement. This is a document that regulates the operation of the platform, relationships with users, rights and obligations. The agreement is written on behalf of Robinhood Financial LLC. An important point is stated in the disclaimer: customers accept the service as is, along with all possible technical errors. Users understand and accept the risk of losing their capital.
Robinhood, as well as intermediaries involved in the activities of the company, are not responsible for the financial losses of customers, as well as for lost profits. The firm claims that it does not give investment advice, and users make any investments based on their own analysis. The agreement also states that price changes in the application can take place with a delay of up to twenty minutes.
In accordance with the agreement, all users release Robinhood, its subsidiaries, intermediaries, employees of the company from liability. In essence, the client accepting this document undertakes not to sue Robinhood or any person associated with the platform.
There is no doubt about the legal purity of the Robinhood platform - information about the company is verified in open US government sources, in the press, in published documentation. Therefore, we believe that Robinhood is not a scam. The developers were able to combine free transactions on the exchange with the simplicity of the interface, which won 13 million customers. However, the company's reputation has been tarnished by its involvement in several scandals. The broker received a particularly sharp negative after the suicide of Alexander Kearns. This client did not cope with the situation, seeing on his balance sheet a minus of 730 thousand dollars.
Despite attempts by Robinhood to clarify the situation, the company was declared to have over-gamified investments. Risky deals with potentially high profits attract gamblers, and thanks to the application they have become accessible. The other claims that Robinhood owners have received are due to their impact on Gamestop's "short squeeze" situation. At that time, the platform blocked transactions with GME securities for ordinary users, but allowed institutional investors to trade. And although the company's marketing position is based on protecting the interests of a small investor, in reality Robinhood works in the opposite direction. Therefore, when working with the application, it is worth monitoring the level of risk.
Is Robinhood Safe to Use?
Targeted at Generation Y, the app is largely positioned as an investment tool for beginners. But, according to some experts, this is precisely the problem.
Robinhood operates in such a way as to encourage the purchase of shares, which can be very dangerous for novice investors. When a new user registers, the application highlights for him popular stocks of companies such as Tesla (TSLA), Netflix (NFLX), Microsoft (MSFT) and many others. At the same time, analysts believe that lower-risk options could be promoted instead. For example, ETFs.
In fact, the danger these strategies pose is that they encourage inexperienced investors to opt for stocks instead of investing in safer, longer-term investments such as index funds, he said. In addition, according to many experts, the incentive to buy stocks and constantly upgrade makes Robinhood quite dangerous for novice investors.
Also, some reviews suggest that Robinhood is not the easiest platform to hold a diversified portfolio as it is more geared towards users with relatively few stocks. And this, as analysts explain, can generate higher risks.
What Are Robinhood Trading Conditions?
Robinhood provides US users with the opportunity to trade stock market assets without commissions. Investors are offered 3 types of accounts, which can be changed later, but upon registration, a Robinhood Instant account is automatically opened. The company does not provide detailed information on trading conditions.
The main condition of work is residence in the USA. The company does not accept clients from the CIS, does not work with residents of the EU countries. After opening an account, the application gives a new client one share from its list. It includes the most popular securities ranging from $3 to $225. To receive a gift, you must link a bank account to your account. This can be done through the robinhood.com app or website. The share can be sold two days after receipt. Only one Robinhood account per person is allowed. If the client has lost his password, he needs to write to the support service to restore access.
Trading conditions are simple - $0 commission for any trade in the US stock market. OTC transactions from a limited list of issuers are also available. Investors can work with ETFs, options, cryptocurrencies also without commission. But Robinhood reminds us that the customer's bank may charge a fee for the transfer. You may also be charged a fee for requesting a paper account statement. Securities transactions are handled by Robinhood Financial. This legal entity is a member of SIPC. For the average user, this means financial insurance for up to $500,000. But cryptocurrency transactions are not insured - here users take on more risks. Robinhood only deals with US securities. This is more than 5000 tickers from the NYSE, NASDAQ stock exchanges. Securities of foreign issuers are processed in the format of ADR - depositary receipts. There are no corporate or government bonds in the application. Mutual funds are also not among the available assets.
Trading platform: Native app and web platform
Accounts: Robinhood Instant, Robinhood Gold, Robinhood Cash
Account currency: USD
Replenishment/withdrawal: Through a bank card linked to the account
Minimum deposit: $0 for standard accounts, $2,000 for Robinhood Gold account.
Leverage: Depends on the type of asset
PAMM accounts: No
Min order: No
Spread: No
Tools: Stocks, Gold, Options, Money Management, Cryptocurrency
Margin call/Stop out: No
Liquidity provider: No
Mobile trading: Yes
Affiliate program: Yes
Order Execution: Market
Trading features: Trading without commissions
Contests and bonuses: No
IAFT analysts checked the trading conditions of Robinhood Markets for the presence of hidden and explicit commissions. Hidden commissions were not found, the broker does not charge a trading fee for replenishing a deposit and withdrawing funds. Commission for the execution of orders is not charged. Please note: there is no commission only for assets from the US market, for trading European shares, the trader is charged a trading fee.
Robinhood is a broker that helps the user not only save his capital, but also increase it with the help of profitable investments in the stock or cryptocurrency market. The company does its best to make investing as a way of earning available to everyone, and there is no or minimal commission for transactions.
A few facts that will be of interest to traders choosing a broker:
• there are 3 types of accounts to choose from;
• trading of all assets is available 24/5, with the exception of cryptocurrency, which is available 24/7;
• 5 minutes is the average time to open a trading account with the company.
Robinhood Markets is a company that has set itself the goal of making investing accessible to everyone, regardless of financial ability. The broker is actively developing in the field of investment, expanding the number of trading instruments and working to improve the quality of service.
Trading in Robinhood Markets is carried out on the author's online platform, which does not require additional software installation. Trading is available both on a personal computer and on mobile devices.
How to Start Earning via Robinhood?
All trading functionality of the platform is supported in the mobile application. It is available for iOS and Android smartphones. The company has a website, but it only allows you to register in the system. After installing the application, registration, the client enters the Robinhood platform. The functionality here is minimal. Basically, the user can only look at the charts, buy or sell shares. That is, clients do not get the possibility of technical analysis. It is understood that the user will make the decision to buy the stock elsewhere. Robinhood will simply provide a service for investment.
The company has an extended version – Gold. It is available by subscription for five dollars a month. Gold users see the glass of orders, can make accelerated deposits, view analytics from Morningstar providers. Most traditional brokers provide this for free. Gold gives you access to margin trading. It is paid - you will have to pay 2.5% of each position with leverage. This is a low rate by American standards. The average value of the market is 8%. Cryptocurrency transactions are separated from wallets. Technically, Robinhood customers do not buy cryptocurrencies per se (cryptocurrency trading training).
They just get a record in the app that they have, say, 2.5 BTC. Unlike cryptocurrency exchanges or exchanges, Robinhood will not allow the user to send cryptocurrency to a third-party wallet. You will first have to sell coins for fiat, and only then withdraw money to the account. That is, the crypt is considered only as a means of speculation, in isolation from its capabilities.The platform also includes Cash Management. This is a banking option where customers can get a Mastercard debit card linked to their Robinhood account. You can withdraw cash or receive transfers directly to your investment account. Excludes money used for leverage or placed in an order.
There are three types of trading accounts at Robinhood Markets, however, upon registration, the user automatically opens a Robinhood Instant account, which can later be changed. The main difference between the accounts is the presence of a commission for the execution of transactions and access to an instant deposit.
Account type: Robinhood Instant
Description: The original margin account type, which offers fast transaction processing and access to instant deposits;
Account type: Robinhood Gold
Description: Differs from Robinhood Instant in access to more purchasing power;
Account type: Robinhood Cash
Description: The account assumes no commission for the execution of transactions during the trading sessions and outside it, but at the same time there is no access to instant deposits on the account.
It is impossible to test the company's trading conditions without financial risk, since a virtual account is not provided in Robinhood Markets.
Robinhood Bonuses
The only bonus available to Robinhood customers is for participating in the referral program. There are no other remunerations in the company.
Cooperation with the IAFT will help to reduce trade costs for trade. This is a rebate service that pays traders a financial reward for completed transactions, even unprofitable ones. To receive a bonus, you need to complete a quick registration on the IAFT website, open an account with Robinhood using a referral link and trade in the usual way. Bonus accrual is possible only if the account was opened through a rebate service.If you are already an existing Robinhood customer, look here for detailed instructions on how to link your active brokerage account to your IAFT account.
Trading Education
Robinhood Markets not only gives clients the opportunity to invest, but also teaches the basics of investing: "Training" section includes tutorial articles and educational videos.
Withdrawals from Robinhood Markets
To withdraw money, the client needs to submit an application in the Personal Account in the “Withdraws” section. There are no restrictions on the number of requests, but you cannot withdraw more than 50,000 USD in one business day. There is no data on withdrawal fees.
Replenishment of the account and withdrawal of funds are carried out using a bank card, which the trader initially linked to his trading account. It takes about 24 hours for funds to be credited upon replenishment, and from 2 to 5 business days for withdrawals. You can withdraw funds in the same currency in which the account is opened. To replenish an account or withdraw funds, the user must go through the verification procedure.
Robinhood Dashboard Overview
To become a Robinhood client and receive financial rewards for trading from the IAFT, you must complete the registration procedure. We will give you step-by-step instructions and tell you about the functionality of your Personal Account:
Complete a quick registration on the IAFT website, follow the referral link to the Robinhood broker page and click on the “Sign Up” button. Fill out the form with personal information. The questionnaire appears in parts, filling is possible only in English. All data must be correct, all fields are required to fill.
After filling out the questionnaire, you will be taken to your Personal Account. You can start trading after you link your bank account to your Robinhood Markets account.
The following functions are available to users in the Personal Account:
1. Profile settings.
2. History of transactions.
Additionally, the following sections are presented in the Personal Account:
• documents (for verification);
• banking (linking an account to a card);
• free promotions (bonuses).
Robinhood Markets Investment Programs
Broker Robinhood provides a range of brokerage services in the market. Clients can purchase shares and receive a share of the profits from the company's income, or sell shares over time – their value increases as the company develops. However, there are no programs for passive income that are customary for traders in the company. Investing is possible by buying and selling stock assets or cryptocurrency, but there are no services for copying transactions or PAMM accounts with managers in Robinhood Markets.
Robinhood Affiliate Program
"Invite 3 – get 4." Each client of the company can become a member of the referral program. It is enough to use the Robinhood application and invite friends there. For every third attracted client, the trader is credited with a bonus in the form of a random promotion to his account. The share price can vary from $2.5 to $200.
Robinhood does not disclose market makers, intermediaries, providers. The company states that quotes are accepted from American stock exchanges – NYSE, NASDAQ. But in reality they are different. The reason is the application's business model. Since the company does not charge commissions for transactions, it earns by reselling client orders to intermediaries. The difference between the resale price and the real execution price on the exchange is divided between the intermediary and the company. But it is prepaid in the price in the application. Roughly speaking: a customer buys 1 share for $100 in an app. Robinhood sends the order to the clearing broker, who buys the stock on the exchange for $98. The $2 difference is the profit of Robinhood and the middleman.
Does Robinhood Provide You with a Demo Account?
Robinhood does not have demo accounts. Clients are encouraged to trade with real money immediately. To prepare, investors are encouraged to read the information materials posted in the Learn section of robinhood.com.
Robinhood Mobile App
The mobile application is the only way to interact with the trading platform. The application interface is simplified to the limit. A list of the most popular promotions opens in front of the client. It is possible to search by ticker. The Stocks list shows the name of the company, the price of the security, and a simplified chart. The stock page has:
♦ Security ticker.
♦ Company name.
♦ The current price at the auction.
♦ Price change for the selected segment.
♦ Schedule. It can be customized: day, week, month, three months, year or five years.
Below the chart, there is a Buy or Sell button. The volume of trades per day is indicated. In Portfolio, users see the assets of their portfolio. You can create ticker watchlists to add stocks or cryptocurrencies to. By clicking on a security from his portfolio, the client will see the details of the open position. These are the purchase price, the number of shares, the current value of the package, the percentage of the entire portfolio. There are Return statistics for the day or from the moment of purchase.
Robinhood Pros
+ The main advantages of the application, according to investors:
+ No commissions.
+ Quick and easy account registration procedure.
+ Instant transactions for buying or selling.
+ Access to 5,000 US stocks.
+ ETF support. This is useful for index investors.
+ Access to options, cryptocurrencies.
+ Convenient application.
+ Live trading.
Conclusion
Robinhood is the easiest way to get started in investing if you are new. This platform is not suitable for experienced traders. There are no tools for technical analysis, the available stocks are limited to the US market, there are no bonds, mutual funds, or the usual futures. The platform works only through a mobile application, which also fetters analysts.
Trading conditions are simple – $0 commission for any trade in the US stock market. OTC transactions from a limited list of issuers are also available. Investors can work with ETFs, options, cryptocurrencies also without commission. But Robinhood reminds us that the customer's bank may charge a fee for the transfer. You may also be charged a fee for requesting a paper account statement. Securities transactions are handled by Robinhood Financial. This legal entity is a member of SIPC. For the average user, this means financial insurance for up to $500,000. But cryptocurrency transactions are not insured – here users take on more risks. Robinhood only deals with US securities. This is more than 5000 tickers from the NYSE, NASDAQ stock exchanges. Securities of foreign issuers are processed in the format of ADR – depositary receipts. There are no corporate or government bonds in the application. Mutual funds are also not among the available assets.
Before working with any investment application or brokerage company, it is important to research not only the instruments, but also the securities in which you plan to invest.
Understanding the basics of technical and fundamental analysis will help guard against high frequency trading that some applications may encourage.
Before investing, experts advise answering a few questions:
What is the purpose of the investment?
How much money can be put at risk?
Do you have a reserve fund?
Are there outstanding loans?
Is there a retirement account?
What experience in investing?
And when you answer all these questions for yourself, you will understand whether it is worth downloading the Robinhood app or looking for other tools.
