Robinhood Unveils 10x Leveraged Crypto Perps for U.S. Traders
Robinhood crypto perps, offering up to 10x leverage on flagship cryptocurrencies, will launch for eligible U.S. customers. announced ambitious plans to launch Robinhood crypto perps for eligible U.S. customers, offering leverage of up to 10x on flagship cryptocurrencies.
The unveiling came during the company’s HOOD Summit 2026 in Houston on September 29, 2026, marking a significant expansion into the burgeoning U.S. derivatives market. CEO Vlad Tenev hailed the new product, stating it represents “America’s first true perps.”
This initiative will allow traders to take leveraged long or short positions on eight digital assets, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, without fixed expiration dates. Robinhood Derivatives, a CFTC-registered futures commission merchant and National Futures Association (NFA) member, will offer these new contracts, leveraging infrastructure from its acquired Bitstamp exchange.
Understanding Robinhood crypto perps
The new perpetual contracts are set to roll out “in the coming months,” according to Robinhood’s September 29 release. Initially, the platform will support eight cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and HYPE. This selection aims to provide a diverse range of trading opportunities for users.
For Bitcoin and Ethereum contracts, eligible traders can access leverage of up to 10x, enabling magnified exposure to market movements. The remaining six assets—Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, Cardano, Chainlink, and HYPE—will be capped at a more conservative 3x leverage. Robinhood stated this lower cap on smaller coins was chosen “to start off a little safer,” acknowledging the increased volatility sometimes associated with these assets.
Traders utilising these perpetual futures will benefit from features like real-time liquidation price monitoring, customisable stop-loss and take-profit orders, and automated alerts for positions at risk. The platform also noted a competitive fee structure, with trades costing just 0.01% through the end of 2026. P&L will settle every 15 minutes, providing frequent reconciliation for active traders.
The introduction of these leveraged products within a regulated framework could reshape how U.S. traders interact with crypto markets. Currently, many U.S. users seeking such products often resort to offshore platforms, which carry greater regulatory and counterparty risks. This heightened interest is reflected in recent Bitcoin ETF inflows.
Regulatory Clarity Paves Way for U.S. Perps
Robinhood’s move into U.S. crypto perpetual futures follows recent regulatory developments that have brought more clarity to the derivatives landscape. Earlier this year, on May 29, 2024, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved KalshiEX’s BTCPERP contract. This crucial decision referenced Bitcoin’s spot price and officially recognised it as a futures contract.
The CFTC further clarified its stance with a policy statement on the same day. This statement indicated that perpetual contracts tied to asset classes outside the specific approval order would generally require case-by-case review under CFTC Regulation 40.3. This guidance has been vital for firms like Robinhood seeking to introduce similar products.
Separately, CFTC staff also confirmed on May 29, 2024, that specific crypto perpetuals listed on Deribit could be treated as foreign futures when offered through Coinbase Financial Markets, provided certain conditions were met. While Robinhood’s planned contracts aren’t directly linked to that particular staff action, these precedents signal a progressive, albeit cautious, approach from U.S.
regulators towards crypto derivatives. The company’s emphasis on Robinhood Derivatives being a CFTC-registered futures commission merchant highlights its commitment to operating within established regulatory boundaries.
Bitstamp Acquisition Underpins Derivatives Strategy
The strategic importance of Robinhood’s June 2025 acquisition of global cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp for $200 million is now clearly evident. Bitstamp’s infrastructure is set to play a pivotal role in supporting Robinhood’s U.S. perpetual futures, mirroring its successful deployment in Robinhood’s existing European crypto perpetual offerings. This integration allows Robinhood to leverage established technology and compliance frameworks.
In Europe, Robinhood had already routed its crypto perpetuals through Bitstamp’s perpetual futures exchange, initially offering leverage up to 3x. The expansion of these offerings continued, and by July 2026, the company had introduced international derivatives linked to traditional financial assets like gold, silver, crude oil, ETFs, and currency pairs. These European traditional finance (TradFi) perpetual products reportedly offered leverage up to 10x.
The U.S. product signifies an elevated leverage ceiling for BTC and ETH compared with its initial European crypto offerings. This aggressive stance for key digital assets underscores Robinhood’s confidence in the U.S. market’s appetite for sophisticated crypto trading instruments, particularly after the regulatory groundwork laid by the CFTC.
The Bitstamp integration solidifies a crucial operational backbone for this ambitious expansion, especially as US crypto ETFs continue to attract significant investment.
Broader Strategic Shifts: Weekend Trading and AI Automation
Beyond its pivotal crypto derivatives announcement, Robinhood also unveiled other significant strategic initiatives at its HOOD Summit 2026. The company is actively preparing to roll out 24/7 weekend trading for a curated selection of U.S. equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in early 2027. This ambitious plan, still awaiting final regulatory review, aims to capture market activity that transcends traditional trading hours.
This weekend trading service will expand upon Robinhood’s existing 24 Hour Market, which already facilitates trading for hundreds of stocks and ETFs from Sunday evening through Friday evening. Bruce ATS, described as an institutional-grade alternative trading system, will provide the trading venue for these extended sessions.
Chief Brokerage Officer Steve Quirk emphasised the rationale, stating, “Breaking news doesn’t wait for an opening bell,” when discussing the planned weekend access. The company is also making other changes this fall, including expanded options trading hours and increased intraday buying power for eligible margin customers.
Further demonstrating its focus on enhancing trader capabilities and market access, Robinhood also introduced Robinhood Agents. This in-app system empowers eligible users to construct artificial intelligence agents for detailed market research, sophisticated strategy development, and automated trade execution.
The company noted that over 150,000 customers have already adopted agentic trading accounts since the third-party agent service launched in May. These agents now interact with Robinhood tools nearly 30 million times daily. This push into automation aligns with broader industry trends, as financial institutions increasingly explore artificial intelligence to advance financial technology.
Implications for the U.S. Crypto Trading Landscape
Robinhood’s aggressive foray into U.S. crypto perpetual futures is set to significantly impact the domestic digital asset trading landscape. By offering highly leveraged derivatives within a fully regulated environment, the company is directly addressing a demand previously met largely by unregulated offshore exchanges. This move could draw substantial trading volume back to U.S.-based platforms, potentially enhancing market integrity and investor protection.
The competitive landscape is also likely to intensify, as other regulated entities may feel pressure to introduce similar products to retain and attract advanced traders.
While the initial fee of 0.01% through year-end 2026 is exceptionally low, it remains to be seen how this pricing will evolve and how it will influence broader market pricing for crypto derivatives.
The company’s choice to offer 10x leverage on BTC and ETH, while limiting other assets to 3x, suggests a calculated risk assessment, balancing market demand with prudential oversight.
Ultimately, Robinhood’s comprehensive announcements at the HOOD Summit — spanning crypto perps, extended stock trading, and AI-powered agents — paint a picture of a company aiming to be a one-stop shop for modern traders.
They’re positioning themselves at the forefront of financial innovation, responding to evolving trader demands and the gradual maturation of regulatory frameworks for digital assets. The success of these offerings, particularly the crypto perpetual futures, will be a key indicator of the future direction of U.S.
retail and institutional crypto engagement, further shaping the broader financial market influenced by factors such as federal reserve policies.