Robinhood is stepping into the future of finance with a formal request to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve a national regulatory structure for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), Forbes reported on May 20. The 42-page proposal could serve as a foundation for integrating blockchain-based assets—such as digital tokens representing stocks or bonds—into the traditional securities landscape.
Robinhood Proposes Hybrid Exchange for Real-World Assets
Robinhood’s blueprint includes a hybrid platform named the Real World Asset Exchange (RRE), which blends off-chain order matching with on-chain settlement. The platform will utilize compliance partners like Jumio and Chainalysis to meet identity verification and anti-money laundering (AML) obligations.
This dual-layered model is designed to offer the efficiency of centralized trading with the transparency and auditability of blockchain systems.
“If the SEC adopts Robinhood’s approach, it would legitimize tokenized finance within the U.S. legal framework,” said Mati Greenspan of Quantum Economics. “That’s a global signal that blockchain assets aren’t just an experiment anymore—they’re a new frontier of finance.”
Though the SEC has not responded, experts say the proposal could pressure regulators to define standards for how tokenized assets are taxed, reported, and traded across states.
Race Toward Global Tokenization Standards
Robinhood’s move reflects a wider international trend. In regions like the U.K. and Singapore, regulators have already begun testing tokenized funds and bonds in sandbox environments. These efforts aim to blend blockchain innovation with regulatory stability.
Forecasts from multiple market research groups estimate that tokenized RWAs could reach a $30 trillion market cap by 2030. Robinhood’s platform is designed to capitalize on that growth, giving retail investors broader access to tokenized instruments while satisfying compliance standards.
Although no SEC timeline has been released, the proposal is a significant step in shaping U.S. market readiness for next-gen financial infrastructure.
