OpenAI, on Wednesday, released a statement to clarify that the tokens it issued and distributed to users within the European Union via the Robinhood trading platform do not constitute company equity. The company emphasized, “We are not involved in this and do not endorse it,” through its representatives on social media. The representatives further explained, “Any transfer of OpenAI equity requires our approval — we did not approve any transfer. Please be cautious.”
Robinhood gave out $5 worth of OpenAI and SpaceX tokens to its clients in the EU on Monday. This move is part of the company’s strategy to delve into tokenized stock trading, including the launch of a layer-2 blockchain network for settling equity trades represented by tokens. Robinhood’s representatives told Cointelegraph that these token giveaways were strictly for “eligible European customers.”
They added, “These tokens offer retail investors indirect exposure to private markets, thereby increasing accessibility. This is made possible by Robinhood’s ownership stake in a special purpose vehicle.” Elon Musk, SpaceX and OpenAI co-founder, seized this chance to criticize OpenAI’s corporate structure. “Your ‘equity’ is fake,” Musk claimed in a post. Musk, who left OpenAI’s board in 2018, has consistently expressed his discontent over what he perceives as the organization’s shift from a mission-driven non-profit to a profit-first model.
Robinhood hinted at its plans to introduce tokenized stock trading for European customers in May 2025, without specifying a date or timeline for a US launch. Johann Kerbrat, senior vice president and general manager of Robinhood Crypto, stated at Consensus 2025 in Toronto, Canada, that integrating tokenized real-world assets on the platform aids in promoting financial inclusion.
Robinhood’s venture into tokenized equities is part of the larger efforts by crypto exchanges to incorporate tokenized stocks, government securities, corporate bonds, and other traditional assets into their platforms, thus bridging the gap between traditional and digital finance. Robinhood contends that tokenization provides public access to previously exclusive asset classes like private equity, private credit, and commercial real estate investment via asset fractionalization.
The company announced the debut of its layer-2 blockchain network and tokenized real-world asset trading during the company’s event in Cannes, France on Monday. “Crypto is much more than a speculative asset. It has the potential to become the backbone of the global financial system,” said Vlad Tenev, CEO and co-founder.
