Robinhood Expands Crypto Integration With Ripple as RLUSD Stablecoin Goes Live on Exchange Platforms

Retail trading giant Robinhood is deepening its footprint in the digital asset ecosystem through a comprehensive partnership with Ripple, the blockchain firm co-founded by the creators of the XRP cryptocurrency. As part of this sweeping integration, Robinhood is incorporating Ripple’s digital dollar stablecoin, RLUSD, across its network, marking a major milestone for both platforms as they weave blockchain infrastructure deeper into traditional and institutional finance.

According to announcements from Ripple, the RLUSD token officially went live on Tuesday, rolling out initially on Robinhood’s proprietary blockchain network, Robinhood Chain, and the Bitstamp exchange. The digital dollar is further slated to reach the main Robinhood consumer application later this year, giving the platform’s vast user base—which numbers 28.6 million funded customers—direct access to blockchain-based fiat settlement.

RLUSD is a stablecoin, a specialized class of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value pegged one-to-one with the U.S. dollar. By leveraging distributed ledger technology, stablecoins enable funds to move instantly across global networks without relying on traditional banking hours or legacy wire transfer systems. Since launching in December 2024, RLUSD has scaled rapidly, with Ripple reporting that its combined market capitalization—representing the total value of all tokens currently in circulation—has now surpassed $2.5 billion.

Beyond consumer-facing features, the collaboration reaches deep into Robinhood’s back-end operations. Robinhood has confirmed that it will run its global treasury operations using Ripple Treasury, an enterprise software solution designed to manage corporate cash flows, streamline payments, forecast liquidity needs, and mitigate financial risk. This treasury integration includes intercompany netting, a sophisticated accounting mechanism that automatically offsets what a company’s various internal divisions owe one another, drastically reducing the volume of physical payments that need to be processed across borders.

The operational synergy is further bolstered by Ripple Prime. Formerly known as Hidden Road, the institutional prime brokerage firm provides lending, margin financing, and trade clearing services across roughly 20 digital assets. Ripple acquired the firm for $1.25 billion in a blockbuster deal announced in April 2025. Through this infrastructure, Ripple Prime already supplies Bitstamp with vital lending and margin facilities, allowing institutional traders to leverage borrowed capital for digital asset strategies.

Clients utilizing Ripple Prime also gain direct access to spot trading on Bitstamp, allowing them to buy and sell digital assets at current market prices. Furthermore, Prime integration for perpetual futures—specialized derivatives contracts that allow traders to speculate on the future price of an asset without an expiration date—is scheduled to roll out on Bitstamp later this year. Robinhood completed its acquisition of Bitstamp, recognized as one of the longest-running and most established cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, in June 2025 for approximately $200 million. The exchange’s trading volume is predominantly driven by institutional participants rather than retail traders.

As part of the operational rollout, Robinhood will utilize RLUSD on the XRP Ledger—the underlying blockchain network associated with XRP—to streamline institutional settlement for Bitstamp’s extensive enterprise client base. Institutional settlement is the critical final step in high-value trading where securities or assets are officially transferred and paid for, a process that blockchain technology aims to make nearly instantaneous and frictionless.

Johann Kerbrat, senior vice president and general manager of Robinhood Crypto and International, emphasized the practical utility driving the collaboration. He noted that utility is the fundamental force moving stablecoins forward. By partnering with Ripple, Bitstamp, and Robinhood, institutional clients gain cohesive access to RLUSD for settlement, Ripple Treasury for internal corporate operations, and Ripple Prime for liquidity and financing, embodying the blueprint for a connected, global financial system.

This partnership marks a significant evolution in Robinhood’s relationship with the broader crypto industry. The retail brokerage had previously pared back several of its digital asset listings during a period of heightened regulatory scrutiny by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission targeting Ripple and other major blockchain entities. However, sentiment and strategy have shifted; Robinhood officially re-introduced XRP trading for its U.S. customer base in November 2024. Now, Ripple’s software ecosystem is playing a foundational role in powering Robinhood’s internal financial architecture.

The technological expansion comes at a transitional period for Robinhood’s corporate structure. The company reduced its headcount by approximately 10% in June, following a 34% drop in cryptocurrency transaction revenue during the first quarter, which brought crypto-related revenue down to $134 million. The platform is scheduled to release its third-quarter financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, marking its first full financial quarter reporting cycle since the July 1 launch of Robinhood Chain.