🤑 Robinhood CEO Begs: “USA, Wake Up and Smell the Crypto!” 🤑

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In the dusty plains of the digital frontier, where the winds of regulation howl like a lonely coyote, the chief executive of Robinhood Markets Inc. has once again raised his voice, cracked and weary, to bemoan the slow crawl of crypto rules in the United States. “The law,” he says, “is like a tortoise in a race with a jackrabbit, and the jackrabbit’s name is innovation.” The lack of clear laws, he claims, is keeping the golden promise of digital assets out of the hands of the common folk, leaving them to watch as the rest of the world gallops ahead.

On the modern-day pulpit of X, Vlad Tenev, the man with the weight of Robinhood on his shoulders, poured out his sorrow. “Crypto staking,” he lamented, “is like a ripe fruit, ready to be plucked, but the branches are tangled in red tape.” He pointed a finger at the U.S. policy delays, accusing them of holding back not just staking, but tokenized stocks too, while other lands reap the harvest. 🌾

The Great Crypto Staking Standstill

In a post that echoed through the digital canyons on Thursday, Tenev revealed a bitter truth: staking, the most coveted feature on the Robinhood app, remains a forbidden fruit for users in four U.S. states. “Lawmakers and regulators,” he sighed, “are locked in a dance of indecision, and the music has long stopped.” Staking, he explained, is the lifeblood of blockchain networks, a way for users to earn their keep by keeping the gears turning. But in California, Maryland, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, the gears have ground to a halt, thanks to a patchwork of local rules that make a quilt look like a straight line.

Staking is one of the most requested features on @RobinhoodApp, but it’s still unavailable to customers in four U.S. states due to the current gridlock. Stock Tokens are available to our customers in the EU, but not in our home market.

It’s time for the US to lead on crypto… or get left in the dust. 🚀

– Vlad Tenev (@vladtenev) January 15, 2026

“Staking,” he wrote, “is like a thirsty man in a desert, and the water is just out of reach.” The states, he noted, are like four stubborn mules refusing to budge, each with its own idea of which way to go. And so, the users wait, their dreams of passive income as distant as a mirage.

America: The Tortoise in a World of Hares

Tenev then turned his gaze across the ocean, where Europe, he said, is already feasting on the fruits of progress. “Tokenized stocks,” he marveled, “are as common in the EU as apples in an orchard, but in our own backyard, they’re as rare as hen’s teeth.” Tokenized stocks, he explained, are the digital offspring of real company shares, born of blockchain technology, allowing users to trade with the speed and flexibility of a fox. But in the U.S., they remain locked away, a treasure chest without a key. 🗝️

With a voice that carried the weight of frustration, the Robinhood CEO called on U.S. lawmakers to wake from their slumber. “Create rules,” he urged, “that are as clear as a mountain stream, protecting the people without drowning innovation.” He threw his hat in the ring for Congress’s market structure bill, a beacon of hope in a sea of uncertainty. “We support Congress’s efforts,” he declared, “to light the way forward.”

A Chorus of Voices, Some Harmonious, Some Discordant

The digital town square of X erupted in response to Tenev’s plea. Some cheered, their voices rising in agreement, hailing staking as a lifeline for crypto investors seeking passive income. Others whispered of the CLARITY Act, a bill designed to cut through the fog of confusion with national rules, a single compass to guide the way. Passed by the House, it now waits in the Senate, a ship at the dock, ready to set sail. 🚢

But not all voices sang in harmony. Coinbase, once a fellow traveler, has stepped off the path, warning that the bill’s shadows could stifle growth in tokenized stocks, decentralized finance, and stablecoin rewards. And so, the debate rages on in Washington, a storm with no end in sight, while Robinhood, ever the pioneer, charts its course abroad.

In the meantime, Robinhood expands its crypto empire beyond U.S. shores, adding 500 new tokenized assets on the Arbitrum blockchain, a treasure trove that brings their total close to 2,000, most tied to the very stocks that American users can only dream of. And so, the story continues, a tale of hope, frustration, and the unyielding march of innovation, whether the U.S. keeps pace or not. 🌍

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2026-01-15 18:45