Robinhood Rolls Out AI Trading Agents to 29 Million Users

Robinhood has begun rolling out AI-powered trading agents to its entire customer base of roughly 29 million people, marking the first time a major brokerage has offered non-technical automated trading at scale. The agents, built on models from OpenAI and Anthropic, allow users to execute trades, conduct research, and build complex investment strategies using plain English instructions.

The rollout coincided with Robinhood's annual HOOD summit and follows a May release of a technical tool that let advanced users connect their own agents to the platform. In a demonstration, a user could name their agent and choose between OpenAI's GPT-6 Luna or GPT-6 Sol, or Anthropic's Opus 4.8. Once configured, the agent could carry out tasks ranging from simple trades like «Buy $200 of Ford stock» to more complex assignments such as «Loops,» which Robinhood describes as a way to check the market every morning and execute a trade when certain conditions are met, or run a continuous overnight strategy.

Robinhood has added guardrails to prevent unexpected behavior, including a dedicated trading account for the agent, user-set limits on trade size, and an optional confirmation process that requires final approval before any transaction. The service also provides free access to data providers like Unusual Whales and Token Terminal for a limited period.

Executives argue that easy-to-use agents and financial data libraries will give ordinary investors tools comparable to those used by Wall Street. «Ownership doesn't work without markets, and markets don't work without traders,» said CEO Vlad Tenev in a statement. «We're making Robinhood the best place in the world for active traders by delivering tools once reserved for hedge funds, big banks, and quant firms.»

The mass release could change investment patterns in unpredictable ways, including a surge in trading volume or the emergence of new strategies. Less rosy scenarios include agents conferring with each other and moving en masse into or out of an asset, potentially introducing greater volatility or panic, especially if malicious actors are involved. Legal liability in case of malfunction remains unclear. Robinhood's view is that hosting agents does not amount to providing financial advice, likening their suggestions to asking the internet or a friend. The legal landscape around agentic trading is still evolving.

Cost is another open question. During the rollout, the lower-end GPT-6 Luna will be free until the end of the year, while OpenAI and Anthropic agents will be charged at standard token rates. Executives say costs for most transactions will be negligible, but that could change if compute prices rise or if many customers pursue research-intensive strategies.

Early signs suggest adoption is already happening. More than 150,000 customers have opened agentic accounts using the technical version introduced this spring, and as of late September, agents are transacting on Robinhood's platform nearly 30 million times a day.

While Robinhood is currently the only brokerage offering non-technical agents at scale, other fintech and crypto firms—including eToro, Public, and Coinbase—let users connect agents via MCP tools. It is likely these firms will soon roll out trading agents directly within their platforms, and conventional brokerages like Schwab and Fidelity may follow. In the near future, agents could place billions of trades a day, with ordinary investors deploying elaborate strategies in new corners of the market. How this affects market performance and wealth accumulation remains to be seen.

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Derek Weston

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Derek Weston covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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