Robinhood To Acquire Bitstamp Exchange in $200M Deal

Robinhood has announced its agreement to acquire Bitstamp, a Bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange, for $200 million in cash. 

This move aims to expand Robinhood's presence in the Bitcoin and crypto market, with the transaction expected to be finalized in the first half of 2025.

Established in 2011, Bitstamp is one of the longest-standing exchanges globally. It operates in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., holding over 50 licenses worldwide. 

The acquisition will integrate Bitstamp's institutional and retail customer base into Robinhood's ecosystem.

This acquisition occurs amid increased scrutiny from the SEC on Robinhood's crypto division.

Despite this, Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading remains a significant growth area for Robinhood, with transaction revenue from trading increasing by 40% last year. 

Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood's general manager, described the deal as a "major step in growing our crypto business," highlighting its potential to expand Robinhood's operations beyond the U.S. and attract institutional clients. 

CEO Vlad Tenev emphasized, "we believe crypto will fundamentally reorganize the financial system."

Robinhood already offers Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading in the EU, but acquiring Bitstamp will provide an existing customer base and regulatory licenses in multiple regions.