Robinhood has launched the public testnet for Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum Layer-2 network built on Arbitrum. The testnet is now open to developers who want to build and test apps before a planned mainnet launch later in 2026. The company describes the chain as “financial grade” and designed for real-world and digital assets.
The testnet offers documentation, network access points, and compatibility with common Ethereum development tools. Alchemy, Chainlink, LayerZero, Allium, and TRM are early infrastructure partners that are already integrating with the network. According to Robinhood, this stage will help identify issues, improve stability, and prepare the chain for broader use.
Focus On Tokenized Assets And 24/7 Markets
Robinhood Chain targets tokenized real-world assets, such as stocks and exchange-traded funds, as well as native crypto and DeFi services. The company has already issued nearly 2,000 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs to European customers on Arbitrum One. Many of those assets are expected to move onto Robinhood Chain once it goes live on the mainnet.
The new network uses Arbitrum Orbit tech and Ethereum for data availability, with Ether as the gas token. This setup aims to support high throughput and lower fees while still inheriting Ethereum’s security guarantees. Robinhood says the chain is built for 24/7 trading and for products that must comply with complex financial regulations across regions.
Why Robinhood Chose Arbitrum
Robinhood decided to build on Arbitrum rather than launch its own standalone base layer. Executives say Ethereum’s liquidity and security, plus Arbitrum’s fraud-proof system, let them focus on products rather than basic infrastructure.
Orbit chains also allow Robinhood to encode compliance features directly into the protocol, which is important for regulated assets such as stocks.
To encourage developers on the Chain, the business is dedicating $1 million to Arbitrum’s 2026 Open House program. To attract projects, it organizes founder events and online buildathons in cities such as Singapore, Dubai, London, and New York. The Ethereum ecosystem’s Robinhood Chain could become a key hub for tokenized assets if the testnet phase goes well.
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