Robinhood: free to trade, $1.3B a quarter

1

A U.S. app-based brokerage: investing, crypto, banking in one app

$0 commission per stock trade

28.4M funded customers hold ~$13K on average

Robinhood grows by pulling money in, not by charging fees

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

2

$13.0K

platform assets per funded customer ($369B ÷ 28.4M)

Churn

Q2: 0.4M of 27.4M (~1.5%/qtr) · FY2025: 1.7M of 25.2M (6.7%), up from 0.9M · zero-balance accounts only

Keep

Gold 17% of customers · 3% IRA match (up to $225) · 5-yr transfer-bonus clawback

Win

Referral stock + 1% transfer match (up to 3%, promo)

28.4M

funded customers · Q2: +0.9M new, +0.2M returning, +0.3M acquired, −0.4M churned

$369B

platform assets

$21.7B

net deposits Q2 (28% annualized) · Aug $4.0B (14%) = proxy for staying

> 1M

international customers

U.S.: substantially all revenue

UK

EU

Canada

Singapore

Free is not free: trades pay 59%

Transactions, interest and other revenues make up Q2 2026 revenue

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

3

How PFOF pays

Customer

Robinhood

Market maker

order, $0

routes order

pays

$471M

options + equities, mostly PFOF · 36% of Q2 revenue

59%

$776M

Transactions

30%

$389M

Net interest

11%

$143M

Other revenues

Options 342

Event contracts 156

Equities 129

Crypto 100 · Other 49

Margin 215

Cash & other 174

Gold 54

Proxy 42

Other 47

(paid by companies)

Q2 2026 net revenue, $M · total 1,308 = 776 + 389 + 143

Zero commission is the entry ticket

What keeps customers: one app, six product lines, lowest big-broker margin, Gold

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

4

4.8M

Gold subscribers · 17% of customers

$5/month · $54M revenue in Q2 (4% of revenue)

What Gold adds

3.6% APY on cash · 3% IRA match (up to $225) · $0.35 index-option contracts (vs $0.50)

ONE APP

Investing

Crypto

Event contracts

Retirement

Banking

Gold Card

Strategies advisory

Legend (desktop)

CORE COMPETENCIES

>50%

new customers: first brokerage

57%

adj. EBITDA margin, self-built back office

13

business lines above $100M a year

Management plans three pillars to keep growing

Each pillar with its Q2 2026 KPI

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

5

774M

options contracts, +50% YoY

~516M

Q2 2025

774M

Q2 2026

Active traders

4.84M

Gold subscribers, one wallet-share lever, +39% YoY

3.48M

Q2 2025

4.84M

Q2 2026

Wallet share

Keeps clientele: Gold, banking, card, retirement

> 1M

international funded customers

UK

EU

Canada

Singapore

Global ecosystem

Robinhood is broadest; Schwab accounts hold ~26× more

All six product lines, but far smaller balances than Schwab

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

6

$1K

$10K

$100K

$1M

3

4

5

6

Product lines offered (count, of 6) →

Fidelity: account count not in Q2 update ($19.9T AUA)

Assets per customer or account, $ (log scale)

Robinhood $13.0K

Schwab $334K

Coinbase $32.4K (proxy)

Webull $5.6K

eToro $4.5K

SoFi $2.9K (proxy)

~26×

Schwab assets per account ($334K) vs Robinhood per funded customer

Ties or beats every rival on commission

Rivals win elsewhere: scale, advice, crypto depth, lending, reach, subscription price

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

7

$0 commission per options contract at Robinhood · $0.65 at Schwab and Fidelity

RobinhoodSchwabFidelityWebullCoinbaseSoFieToro (US)
Options / contract$0$0.65$0.65$0n/d$0$0
Margin at $25K5.3%11.6%11.6%8.7%n/d9.8%n/d
Makes money fromTrades 59%Interest + feesn/d (private)Order flow 57%Transactions 49%Lending 59%Trading ~62%
Robinhood loses onn/ascalescale, advicesubscription price, Premium margin 5.00%crypto depthlendingglobal reach

Similar: Webull also lives on order flow. Different: Schwab and SoFi live on interest and lending.

Rates help now; court rulings are the risk

Four risk layers, sized where Robinhood discloses the number

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

8

MACRO

±$350M

net revenue over 12 months per 100 bp · rates help now

Trading 59% of revenue (54% a year ago) · crypto revenue −38% to $100M

REGULATORY

≥ 8 states

event-contract cases · $156M a quarter ≈ $624M a year exposed

SUPPLY CHAIN

16%

of Q2 revenue from one market maker (Citadel)

OTHER

$21.6B

margin book: credit losses in a sell-off · outages · cyber-attacks · key people

Rivalry is intense; the supplier risk is concentration

Buyers hold power at sign-up; new entrants face a licence wall

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

9

New entrants

MEDIUM

Suppliers & payers

CONCENTRATED

Substitutes

MEDIUM

Buyers

HIGH AT SIGN-UP

Rivalry

HIGH

78%

of June options orders: Citadel and Dash/IMC · Citadel pays ~16% of revenue

1–3%

transfer bonus at sign-up · once in: $100 exit fee, 5-yr clawback

Licences

clearing and capital rules: the entry wall

Viable: yes, conditional on three variables

Trading volume, the rate cycle and event-contract rulings

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

10

Strengths

28.4M funded · 57% adj. EBITDA margin

Weaknesses

$13.0K per customer · 59% from trading

Opportunities

Retirement · > $3B banking · > 1M abroad

Threats

−$350M per 100 bp of cuts · $156M/qtr in court · Schwab/Fidelity scale

Three changes management has not made yet

Each has a metric and a dollar weight

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

11

1

17%

≥ 30%

trend

24–29%

Household Gold tier

+$221M

revenue a year, upper bound (~$173M at realized price)

2

$572M

≥ $1.2B

Other revenues target

+$0.6B

a year, roughly double; dollars, not a share

3

$156M/qtr

≤ 25%

Disclose, then cap

$156M

a quarter exposed · disclose from Q1 2027, then cap · federal loss = all

Proceed to Phase 2, subject to 3 checks

Business model · Competition · Risks · Verdict · Recommendations

12

RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD

Why it can work: $0 trading + broadest app + 57% margin; risk = rates and courts

Oct 27 Q3 results: stop if net deposits < 10% annualized and options < 774M

Oct 28 FOMC: each 100 bp cut = −$350M a year

Nov 13 Nevada answers No. 26-338: review denied = model $156M impaired

Questions?

Key figures: Q2 2026 at a glance

Appendix

13

MetricValueAs ofSource
Net revenue$1,308MQ2 2026Q2 release
Transaction-based revenue$776M (59.3%)Q2 202610-Q Note 6
Options · event contracts · equities · crypto · other$342M · $156M · $129M · $100M · $49MQ2 202610-Q Note 6
Net interest revenue$389M (29.7%)Q2 202610-Q Note 6
Other revenues (incl. Gold $54M)$143M (10.9%)Q2 202610-Q Note 6
Funded customers28.4M → 28.6MJun 30 → Aug 31 2026Q2 release; Aug data
Platform assets$369B → $384BJun 30 → Aug 31 2026Q2 release; Aug data
Platform assets per funded customer≈ $13.0KJun 30 2026$369B ÷ 28.4M
Net deposits$21.7B (Q2) · $75.7B (LTM)Q2 2026Q2 release
Gold subscribers4.8M (17% of funded)Jun 30 2026Q2 release
ARPU, annualized$187Q2 2026Q2 release
Adj. EBITDA margin57% ($741M ÷ $1,308M)Q2 2026Q2 release
Options contracts traded774M (+50% YoY)Q2 2026Q2 release
PFOF, options + equities$471M (36% of revenue)Q2 202610-Q Note 6
Event-contract revenue$156M (12% of revenue)Q2 202610-Q Note 6
PFOF on stocks, share of the spread12.35% (regular hours)Q2 2026Rule 606 report
Citadel: non-directed options orders · revenue45.6% (June) · 16% (Q2)Q2 2026Rule 606; 10-Q
Net revenue sensitivity to rates±$350M per 100 bpJun 30 202610-Q Item 3
International funded customers> 1MJun 30 2026Q2 release
Churned funded customers0.4M (~1.5% of 27.4M) · FY2025 1.7M (~6.7%)Q2 202610-Q KPI table; 10-K

Competitor detail: fees, scale and revenue mix

Appendix

14

RobinhoodSchwabFidelityWebullCoinbaseSoFieToro (US)
Stock/ETF commission$0$0$0$0n/a (not disclosed in cited sources)$0$0
Options, per contract$0 (index $0.50; $0.35 Gold)$0.65$0.65$0 (index $0.50)n/d$0$0
Margin rate at $25K5.25% (Sep 17 2026)11.575% (Sep 18 2026)11.575% (Sep 18 2026)8.74% std / 5.00% Premium (Mar 31 2026)n/d9.75% (Oct 1 2026)n/d
SubscriptionGold $5/mononenonePremium $3.99/mon/a (not disclosed in cited sources)SoFi Plus $10/mon/d
Customers (own definition)28.4M funded40.1M accountsn/d5.13M funded7.6M monthly users15.8M members4.28M funded (worldwide)
Assets$369B$13.41T$19.9T (AUA)$28.5B$245.9Bn/d$19.2B (AUA)
How it makes moneyTrades 59% · interest 30% · fees 11% (Q2)Net interest, asset-management fees, trading, bank-deposit fees (FY2025 10-K)n/d (private; no segment mix)Order-flow rebates 57% · interest 22% · handling charges 17% (Q2)Transactions 49% · subscriptions & services 46% (Q2)Lending $725M of $1,219M ≈ 59% (Q2)Equities, commodities, FX trading ≈ 62% of net contribution (Q2)
One-line verdict–wins options & margin price; loses scalewins same prices; loses scale & in-person advicewins scale; loses subscription price and Premium margin (5.00%, Mar 31 2026)wins breadth (6 vs 3 lines); loses crypto depthwins trading; loses lendingwins U.S. scale; loses global reach

Sources

Appendix

15

Robinhood filings

Q2 2026 results release (Jul 29 2026) · Form 10-Q Q2 2026 (filed Jul 30 2026) · FY2025 Form 10-K (filed Feb 18 2026) · August 2026 operating data (Sep 10 2026) · Q3 results-date notice (Oct 1 2026) · Rule 606 report Q2 2026 (Jul 28 2026)

robinhood.com (accessed Oct 13 2026)

Gold · margin rates · trading fees / fee schedule (incl. $100 outgoing ACATS) · referral program · account-transfer bonus · IRA match · newsroom (Mar 17 2025, Mar 4 2026, Aug 10 2026, Sep 8 2026, Sep 29 2026)

Denominators (s6)

Robinhood/Webull/eToro funded customers or accounts · Schwab active accounts · Coinbase monthly transacting users · SoFi members.

Regulators & courts

Federal Reserve FOMC statement Sep 16 2026 + calendar · SEC Release 33-11377 (Jun 12 2025) · FCA Dear CEO letter (Dec 13 2017) · ESMA MiFIR Art. 39a · Ninth Circuit No. 25-7831 (Aug 28 2026) · Supreme Court docket 26-338 · W.D. Mich. 1:26-cv-00730 stipulated order (ECF 50, Sep 4 2026) · CourtListener dockets (NJ, MA, WA, WI, KY, CA)

Competitors

Schwab (monthly activity Sep 15 2026; pricing; margin; crypto page; FY2025 10-K; Q3 2019 10-Q; Oct 1 2019 release) · Fidelity (Q2 2026 business update; commissions & margin) · Webull (Q2 2026 release Aug 19 2026; pricing; margin; subscription FAQ) · Coinbase (10-Q Q2 2026) · SoFi (Q2 2026 release Jul 29 2026; Invest fee schedule; SoFi Plus) · eToro (Q2 2026 results Aug 11 2026; US fees) · Interactive Brokers (Sep 2026 metrics; pricing; margin rates) · Public.com

Glossary and notes

Appendix

16

Brokerage* = a firm that trades investments for customers

Zero commission* = no fee per trade

Funded customer* = money in an account or a trade in the last 45 days

Platform assets* = customers' money, not Robinhood's

Net deposits* = new money in minus money out

Gold* = Robinhood's $5-a-month subscription

PFOF* = payment for order flow: a market maker pays the broker for orders

Market maker* = a wholesaler ready to buy or sell

Bid-ask spread* = the gap between buying and selling prices

Options* = contracts giving the right to buy or sell a stock at a set price

Event contracts* = yes-or-no contracts on outcomes

Net interest revenue* = interest earned on customer cash and margin loans

Margin* = money lent to customers against their stocks

Proxy* = a stand-in measure (net deposits stand in for customers staying)

IRA* = individual retirement account (tax-advantaged)

Clawback* = a bonus taken back if the money leaves within 5 years

Order flow* = customers' buy and sell orders, which market makers pay to receive

Clearing* = settling trades and holding the collateral behind them

Family hub* = a family accounts view, announced Mar 4 2026, not launched

Phase 2* = Presentation 2: financials and valuation

Nevada* = Nevada's gaming regulators, who won the Ninth Circuit appeal (No. 25-7831)

Referral stock = free shares given to a customer who invites a friend who funds an account

Transfer-match = a cash bonus equal to a % of assets moved in from another broker

MiCA / MiFID = the EU's crypto-asset and investment-services licensing regimes

MAS = Monetary Authority of Singapore

APY = annual percentage yield

Churn = share of customers who leave in a period; Robinhood counts a customer as churned when the balance is ≤ $0 with no transaction for 45 days, so leavers who keep a balance are not counted

n/d = not disclosed

Returning = a churned customer who funds an account again (the 10-Q's "resurrected")

Acquired = customers added by buying a company (WonderFi, Canada, Jun 1 2026)

Yield = interest rate earned on a balance

Cash sweep = customers' uninvested cash moved to partner banks; Robinhood keeps the spread between the bank rate and the rate paid to customers

Securities lending = lending customers' shares to short-sellers for a fee

Segregated cash = customer cash held in protected accounts as regulators require

Proxy revenue = fees companies (issuers), not customers, pay Robinhood's Say Technologies unit to send shareholder-vote materials and tally the votes; seasonal: $42M of H1 2026's $50M came in Q2

ARPU = average revenue per user, annualized ($187 in Q2 2026)

Glossary and notes (continued)

Appendix

17

Prediction markets = the app section where event contracts trade

Adjusted EBITDA = earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, excluding stock pay and one-offs (Robinhood's definition)

AUM = assets under management

Self-clearing = Robinhood settles its own trades instead of paying a clearing firm

Wallet share = the fraction of a customer's total financial business (investing, saving, spending) that sits with one company

Perpetual futures = futures contracts with no expiry date

Cboe = the options exchange operator

AUA = assets under administration

Interchange = the fee a merchant's bank pays the card issuer on each card purchase (part of SoFi's and Robinhood's card businesses)

Net contribution = eToro's revenue after the cost of crypto sold and margin interest

Handling charges = Webull's per-order fees on some products

n/a = not disclosed in the sources cited

Fed funds rate = the overnight rate the Fed targets

FOMC = the Fed committee that sets it

Basis point (bp) = 0.01 percentage point; 100 bp = 1 point

Order Competition Rule / Reg Best Execution = 2022 SEC proposals that would have forced auctions for retail orders and tightened "best price" duties

FCA = UK Financial Conduct Authority

CFTC vs SEC vs state gaming regulators = the CFTC regulates event-contract exchanges; the SEC regulates stock/option brokers; states regulate gambling and argue sports contracts are bets

Supreme Court petition (cert) = a request for the Court to hear the case;

merits = the ruling on the case itself

Clearinghouse = the central counterparty that settles trades

Kalshi = KalshiEX LLC, a CFTC-regulated exchange that lists event contracts Robinhood offers (with Rothera, Crypto.com and ForecastEx)

Margin book = margin loans customers owe Robinhood at period end

Five Forces = Porter's framework: supplier power, buyer power, substitutes, rivalry, new entrants

Rule 606 = the SEC rule requiring brokers to publish where they route orders and what they are paid

FINRA = the brokerage industry's self-regulator

Payer concentration = a large share of revenue or orders tied to one counterparty; here Citadel, which pays Robinhood for order flow

SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses (internal) · Opportunities, Threats (external)

Run-rate = Q2 2026 revenue × 4

Contested states = states where Robinhood is in event-contract litigation (s8 list)

Upper bound = assumes every new subscriber pays the $5 monthly price

Adoption rate = Gold subscribers ÷ funded customers (Robinhood's own KPI)

Trend = Gold growth continued at last year's pace (+1.36M a year) or last quarter's (+0.5M a quarter) on a customer base growing 7% a year

Impaired = modelled as at risk of being lost, not as zero today