Online brokerage Robinhood is set to enter the futures trading market, offering Bitcoin (BTC) futures alongside other asset classes. The company announced on January 29 that it will introduce futures trading for the S&P 500, oil, Bitcoin, and additional assets, marking a significant expansion beyond its traditional stock trading services.
Robinhood, which added cryptocurrency trading in 2018, plans to support futures tied to Ether (ETH) in addition to BTC. The move aligns with the company’s broader strategy to diversify its trading options beyond stocks and core spot cryptocurrencies. Since 2024, Robinhood has introduced a variety of new products, including contracts allowing users to bet on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and support for altcoins such as Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), and Pepe (PEPE).
Robinhood’s BTC futures product enters a competitive landscape, facing established players like CME Group, the U.S.’s largest futures exchange, and Coinbase Derivatives Exchange, which offers futures contracts for BTC, ETH, and various altcoins, including Litecoin (LTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE).
The growing demand for Bitcoin futures is reflected in market trends, with open interest nearing $65 billion as of January 29, according to data from Glassnode. Other major financial institutions, such as Morgan Stanley, are also reportedly considering entering the crypto trading space through their online brokerage platforms.
Industry observers view Robinhood’s expansion into Bitcoin futures as a significant development. Blockworks co-founder Mike Ippolito noted in a January 29 post that Robinhood’s move positions it as a potential rival to Coinbase in the crypto trading sector by the end of 2025.
Futures contracts serve as standardized agreements to buy or sell assets at a specified future date and are widely used by institutional investors for hedging strategies. Additionally, futures appeal to speculative traders due to the leverage they offer, allowing for amplified exposure to market movements.