Robinhood-backed DEX Arcus expands with tokenized assets, perps
A decentralized exchange (DEX) backed by Robinhood is expanding into tokenized stocks and derivatives as platforms compete to build onchain markets for traditional assets.
Arcus, a DEX built by the team behind decentralized trading platform dYdX and backed by Robinhood Crypto, launched tokenized stocks and perpetual futures on Robinhood Chain on Tuesday, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph.
The company previously launched spot markets when Robinhood Chain went live on July 1. Arcus offers more than 95 stock tokens, perpetual markets and crypto assets through a self-custodial trading account, with Paxos-issued stablecoin USDG serving as its primary collateral and settlement asset.
The launch comes as crypto companies and financial platforms increasingly compete to build infrastructure for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), while regulatory questions around access and product structure remain a key challenge for the sector.
Related: Bernstein raises Robinhood price target, cites tokenization and prediction markets
Self-custody shapes approach to onchain trading
Arcus’s launch includes tokenized versions of stock in major US companies such as Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google and Amazon, as well as perpetual markets tied to equities, exchange-traded funds, commodities, indexes and crypto assets.
The platform uses a self-custodial model, allowing users to retain control of their assets rather than deposit them with a centralized exchange. Arcus uses Privy, a wallet infrastructure company that helps applications create and manage crypto wallets, allowing users to sign up through email or social logins.
Source: Robinhood Chain
Users who already hold crypto can connect existing self-custodial wallets, including MetaMask, Ledger and WalletConnect, with the company citing support for additional Ethereum-compatible wallets.
Tokenized stocks face regulatory questions
Arcus said its stock tokens are unavailable in the US, Canada, the UK and other restricted jurisdictions, highlighting the different regulatory approaches to tokenized securities across markets.
Cointelegraph contacted Arcus for clarification on the restrictions but did not receive a response by publication time.
Regulators in markets including the US and UK have been examining how blockchain-based representations of traditional assets fit within existing financial frameworks, with questions around custody, ownership and market structure being addressed.
The launch adds another player to the growing race to build infrastructure for tokenized assets, with platforms including Coinbase-backed Base exploring ways to bring traditional financial products onchain.
Magazine: Is Robinhood Chain’s success bullish or bearish for ETH the asset?
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
AI demand drives TSMC to accelerate capacity expansion, 2nm monthly production aims for 120,000 wafers by year-end
According to reports, industry giants such as Apple, Nvidia, and AMD have collectively increased their orders by 10% to 20%, directly boosting TSMC's 2nm monthly production capacity to 120,000 wafers by the end of the year, which exceeds the previous estimate by more than 20% and brings forward the 2027 target by two years. For the first time in history, five factories will ramp up production simultaneously, and the annual compound growth rate of capacity from 2026 to 2028 will reach as high as 70%.
Long-term US Treasury Sell-off Continues! 10-Year Treasury Yield Breaks 5.2% Again, “AI Boom vs. Rising Financing Costs” Narrative Showdown Intensifies
On Monday, oil prices rose and US Treasury bonds were sold off again as former US President Donald Trump rejected Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, heightening concerns about inflation.
Banks Have Been Earning Effortlessly from Idle Funds for Years—Will AI Agents Change Everything?
For years, banks have profited from customers' idle funds, but AI agents may be about to change this situation.
Goldman Sachs: US stocks are showing a "strong index, weak confidence" pattern; catch-up rally may become the main theme of the next phase
Goldman Sachs stated that the current U.S. stock market is showing an unusual pattern: while index performance is strong, investor confidence remains weak. This suggests that the market still has further upside potential, and stocks that previously lagged behind leading AI stocks may soon experience a catch-up rally.
Crypto prices
More
