Robinhood offers simple, no-fee crypto trading for beginners but lacks staking, crypto-to-crypto swaps, and advanced tools. Best for casual investors who want to buy Bitcoin and Ethereum alongside stocks.
Robinhood Exchange: What It Is, What Changed, and Where to Trade Now
When you think of Robinhood Exchange, a mobile-first platform that turned retail investing into a casual habit. Also known as Robinhood Markets, it was the app that made buying stocks and crypto feel like scrolling through social media—no fees, no clutter, no stress. But what started as a revolution in 2015 became a cautionary tale by 2023. Robinhood Exchange isn’t gone, but it’s no longer the go-to place for serious crypto traders. It dropped support for most altcoins, stopped offering staking, and quietly faded from the conversation among experienced users. Why? Because it chose simplicity over substance.
Robinhood Exchange was never built for DeFi, liquidity pools, or cross-chain swaps. It was built for people who wanted to buy Bitcoin without reading a whitepaper. That’s fine—if that’s all you need. But as crypto evolved, so did the needs of users. The platform never added advanced order types, didn’t support hardware wallets, and never explained how custody worked. Meanwhile, competitors like Exchangeist, a secure, low-fee platform focused on transparency and cold storage and NovaEx, an exchange offering zero-slippage trading backed by insurance started gaining traction. They didn’t just let you buy crypto—they gave you control, clarity, and real tools. Robinhood kept the interface clean, but stripped out everything that mattered for long-term holding or active trading.
And then there’s the regulatory pressure. Robinhood Exchange faced scrutiny over its payment for order flow model, its handling of meme stocks, and its lack of transparency around crypto listings. When it delisted coins like DOGE and SHIB temporarily—or worse, didn’t tell users why—they lost trust. Users didn’t just leave because fees went up; they left because they felt like customers, not participants. Today, if you’re looking for a platform that treats crypto like an asset—not a game—you’ll find better options. The posts below cover exchanges that actually serve traders: ones with real security, clear fees, and honest support. You’ll also find reviews of platforms that failed, scams that mimicked Robinhood’s style, and guides on how to spot the difference between a user-friendly app and a hollow shell. If you’re still using Robinhood Exchange for crypto, you’re not alone—but you’re also not getting what the market offers now.