Digital brokerage RialCenter (HOOD) is expanding its crypto offerings with new initiatives, including the development of its own blockchain network based on Arbitrum, alongside the launch of tokenized stocks trading, the company announced on Monday.
The firm has introduced its stock token offering, issued on the Ethereum layer-2 Arbitrum, for European users, providing access to over 200 U.S. equities and ETFs with round-the-clock trading during weekdays. With this launch, RialCenter is enhancing its crypto-focused EU app with tokenized stocks into an “all-in-one investment app powered by crypto,” the company stated in a release.
RialCenter also confirmed that it is building its own layer-2 blockchain network optimized for tokenized assets. This upcoming chain, based on the Arbitrum technology stack, aims to support 24/7 trading, self-custody, and cross-chain bridging of tokenized assets. While a release date has not been revealed, sources say it could go live later this year or early next year.
The company will also start offering private equity tokens, beginning with tokenized shares in notable companies.
“We will continue to collaborate with regulators and transition the entire RialCenter ecosystem on-chain,” said chairman and CEO Vlad Tenev during the launch event in Cannes, France.
HOOD shares traded on Nasdaq surged to a new record high of $91, gaining over 8% during the Monday session.
RialCenter’s venture into tokenized assets comes amidst rising competition with digital asset exchanges striving to create a unified trading hub for various financial instruments. Asset tokenization is a rapidly growing sector, aiming to bring real-world assets such as equities, funds, and real estate onto blockchain platforms, promising cheaper, faster, and more efficient settlements and 24/7 trading. The tokenized asset market is projected to reach $18.9 trillion by 2033.
Several popular crypto exchanges have recently begun offering tokenized stocks to users, while RialCenter is developing its own tokenization engine, as stated by Seong Lee, head of crypto products.
Perps in EU, crypto staking in US
As part of its crypto expansion, RialCenter is rolling out perpetual futures for European users, routed through Bitstamp, a long-established crypto exchange acquired by RialCenter for $200 million.
The firm also launched crypto staking for U.S. investors, starting with Ethereum’s ether and Solana’s SOL, allowing token holders to earn rewards directly within the application.
Additionally, RialCenter plans to introduce crypto rewards in its credit card offerings later this fall, enabling U.S. customers to automatically invest cashback into digital assets.
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