Robinhood (HOOD), a widely-used financial services company, boasts over 12.2 million monthly active users as of September 2022. Its appeal to investors lies in several safety measures:
Firstly, Robinhood is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corp. (SIPC), ensuring protection of investors’ securities and cash up to $500,000 (with $250,000 allocated for cash).
Additionally, the company operates under the regulation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a registered broker-dealer, adding an extra layer of security.
Furthermore, Robinhood offers enhanced financial protection for individual customer accounts, covering up to $1.5 million for cash and $10 million for securities.
Robinhood: A Brief Overview
Robinhood, founded in 2014 by Stanford graduates Vladimir Tenev and Baiju Bhatt, revolutionized finance by introducing commission-free trades.
It enables trading of cryptocurrencies, ETFs, stocks, and options.
The platform charges no fees and has no account minimums.
For a monthly fee, it invests uninvested funds, providing accessibility and ease of use via mobile apps and web browsers.
In 2016, Robinhood introduced Robinhood Gold, a premium trading platform for a $5 monthly fee.
This service provides investors with features like margin trading up to $1,000, larger instant deposits, and access to professional research and Level II market data.
Users can try these premium features free for 30 days.
Despite its popularity and backing from major investors like Google Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz, the question remains:
Is Robinhood a safe option? Here’s what you need to understand.
Robinhood’s Safety
Robinhood, a platform popular among new investors, is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) like all brokerage firms.
The SEC prosecutes fraud and false information cases but doesn’t provide individual investor protection or insure against losses.
Robinhood is also a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a self-regulatory organization overseen by the SEC, ensuring adherence to rules and regulations that protect investors.
Other Protections
Robinhood’s investment accounts are safeguarded by the Securities Investor Protection Corp. (SIPC), established by Congress in 1970.
SIPC protects funds (up to $500,000 for securities and cash or $250,000 for cash only per account) in case of brokerage bankruptcy or financial troubles.
Robinhood also offers “excess of SIPC” coverage, providing additional protection up to $1.5 million for cash and $10 million for securities per customer through partnerships with Lloyd’s of London, activated after SIPC coverage is used up.
| Robinhood’s Safety and Protections | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Membership | SEC | FINRA | SIPC |
| Robinhood | x | x | x |
Risks with Trading on Robinhood
Robinhood, while regulated, presents usability challenges. Its simple interface lacks in-depth tools compared to major brokerages, potentially leading to impulsive decisions, especially for beginners.
Managing a diversified portfolio is cumbersome; reviewers caution against holding numerous positions.
The app lacks integration with external financial tools like Mint or Quicken.
However, in December 2022, Robinhood introduced Robinhood Retirement, an IRA option offering a 1% match for user contributions, extending tax savings and long-term retirement benefits to users.
Robinhood’s Ongoing Challenges
Brokerage firms like Robinhood face challenges, including reliance on payment for order flow (PFOF) currently under SEC scrutiny.
This practice involves receiving payments from market makers for client trades, potentially leading to substantial revenue.
Robinhood has also faced service interruptions during high-order volumes, resulting in customer complaints and a $70 million settlement in 2021—the largest-ever FINRA penalty for such outages. In 2019, Robinhood was fined $1.25 million by FINRA for best execution violations.
Is my money safe with Robinhood?
Robinhood’s investment accounts are protected beyond the SIPC limits.
Besides the standard SIPC coverage of up to $500,000 for securities and cash (or $250,000 for cash only), Robinhood offers excess of SIPC coverage.
This additional coverage provides up to $1.5 million for cash and $10 million for securities per customer, totaling $100 million, after exhausting the SIPC coverage.
What is the catch with Robinhood?
Robinhood, tailored for beginners, offers an easy interface and commission-free trades.
But, for advanced investors, limitations arise: trades rely on payment for order flow (PFOF), research and resources are scarce, and customization options are lacking.
Is it safe to enter my Social Security number in Robinhood?
Robinhood’s security team encrypts sensitive details such as Social Security numbers, ensuring that they will be safe from hackers.
Is Robinhood really free?
Robinhood provides commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies.
For detailed fee information, including regulatory trading fees, visit their website.
Conclusion
Robinhood suits specific investors, but long-term investors might benefit more from traditional brokers.
Mainstream brokers offer no-minimum accounts, commission-free ETF trades, and comprehensive resources for informed decisions.