Robinhood made its name as an app within the GameStop craze in 2021. Now it wants to add a social aspect to trading, turning the app into a place where people can both invest and talk. The new feature is called Robinhood Social and it was announced at the company’s annual Hood Summit in Las Vegas.
The new platform will resemble a feed similar to X or Venmo, but with one important condition, and that is: every post must be linked to a real trade. Abhishek Fatehpuria, Robinhood’s vice president of product management, explained that this is meant to create authenticity. Once a person shares a trade, the numbers update in real time, showing gains or losses as markets change.
Profiles will display details such as year-to-date returns and overall profit margins. This will let people see how successful a trader is over time, instead of relying on screenshots or claims. Robinhood also plans to add avatars that automatically post trades from well-known figures such as Nancy Pelosi or Bill Ackman, based on public disclosures.
The company will first invite 10,000 people to test the feature early next year, before an official release later on. Robinhood says this will make trading conversations more transparent than they are on Reddit or X, where posts can be unverified.
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Why Is Robinhood Doing This?
Chief executive Vlad Tenev said this speaks to Robinhood’s vision of becoming what he called a “financial superapp.” He described the new platform as a way to combine community with trading inside one app.
The company has a history when it comes to online discourse… During the meme stock era in 2021, traders on Reddit forums pushed up shares of GameStop and AMC and many used Robinhood to buy in. That episode led to scrutiny after the app restricted buying, creating anger from users and skeptical eyes from lawmakers. Tenev later testified before Congress alongside hedge fund managers.
Robinhood appears to be taking a lesson from that moment. Instead of letting conversations happen elsewhere, where people can post claims without proof, Robinhood Social requires that every post is backed by an actual trade. The company says this will reduce misinformation and make the experience more engaging.
What Else Is Robinhood Adding?
Social features are only one part of the update because the company also announced new tools at the Hood Summit. These are tools for short selling and overnight index options and trading more than 40 CME futures contracts. There will also be AI-powered chart and scanning tools, especially for those using Robinhood’s desktop platform, Legend.
Robinhood wants to create a space where traders feel they can act like professionals while also staying in touch with a community. It has plans to add direct messaging and functions such as sharing links and images once the main feed is established.
Executives also see Robinhood Social as a place to host events in the future. Earnings calls for listed companies may be streamed live through the app, allowing retail traders to watch without leaving the platform. Stocks that attract attention, such as Nvidia, could have results posted directly into the feed.
