SINGAPORE - Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev declared at Token2049 that tokenization represents the most significant crypto development poised to rapidly revolutionize traditional financial systems.
Tenev described tokenization as an unstoppable "freight train" heading directly toward conventional finance's core, emphasizing that crypto and traditional finance will completely merge into unified on-chain ecosystems.
Robinhood's strategic expansion includes European tokenized stock offerings and private shares in prominent startups like OpenAI, positioning the company at the forefront of 24/7 global on-chain asset trading.
"Similar to stablecoins becoming the standard for digital dollar access, tokenized stocks will emerge as the primary method for international investors to access U.S. equities," Tenev stated, explaining Robinhood's European-first launch strategy.
While acknowledging U.S. digital asset policy progress, Tenev noted America must accelerate regulatory alignment with Europe's advancing framework, comparing the situation to the U.S. high-speed rail gap with Europe and Asia.
The CEO identified real estate tokenization as Robinhood's next strategic focus, asserting the technical process mirrors private company tokenization, with legal frameworks representing the primary challenge rather than technological barriers.
Tenev concluded with his definitive prediction: "Tokenization will eventually consume the entire financial system."