Robinhood Avoids Piling Into Digital Asset Treasuries Despite the Hype — Here’s Why

Robinhood is not jumping to join companies putting crypto on their balance sheets, signaling a wait-and-see approach even as the treasury playbook spreads across public markets.On the third-quarter earnings call, incoming CFO Shiv Verma said the company is “still thinking about it.” He noted that Robinhood values “alignment with the community” and is a major venue for crypto trading. Yet, the finance team must weigh whether adding Bitcoin or other tokens to the balance sheet is the right use of capital for shareholders.Robinhood’s broader crypto business, meanwhile, continues to expand. The trading platform reported that Q3 transaction-based revenue climbed 129% from a year earlier to $730m, powered by a sharp rebound in digital asset activity. Crypto revenue reached $268m, up more than 300% year-on-year, helping the company surpass Wall Street earnings forecasts.While DATs Expand, Robinhood Focuses On Flexibility Over HypeFurther, Verma sketched the trade-offs. Holding tokens may please users, he said, but it ties up capital that could be deployed elsewhere. He pointed out that shareholders can buy Bitcoin directly on Robinhood. The short version, he added, is that there are pros and cons, and the company will keep evaluating the idea.The stance contrasts with the rise of digital asset treasury companies, or DATs. MicroStrategy’s playbook, which included convertible notes, at-the-market equity sales and preferred stock to fund ongoing purchases, helped build a reported Bitcoin stash worth more than $70b by mid-2025. That model inspired followers such as Metaplanet in Japan and Semler Scientific in the US.Critics Say Treasury Crypto Rush Risks Becoming An Exit Strategy For InsidersBy industry tallies, corporate holdings have grown sharply since 2020, spreading from a handful of early movers to more than a hundred firms. Allocations remain dominated by Bitcoin, while some treasuries have added Ether and Solana as liquidity improved. Columbia professor @malekanoms calls digital asset treasuries "extraction schemes" as Bitcoin drops below $100K and crypto loses $1 trillion in value.#Bitcoin #DATshttps://t.co/22ERtbcfe2— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) November 5, 2025 Not everyone is convinced. Columbia Business School’s Omid Malekan recently argued that digital asset treasuries have morphed into a “mass extraction and exit event,” saying some programs appear designed to enrich insiders rather than build lasting value. He pointed to promotional decks heavy on buzzwords and thin on detail, alongside pressure tactics during fundraising.Market context has turned tougher as well. Bitcoin slipped below $100,000 this week for the first time since June and, at about 20% off its October peak, entered a technical bear market. Total crypto market value has fallen by more than $1 trillion from the highs, a backdrop that makes balance sheet bets harder to justify for boards and risk committees.Robinhood’s Strategy Centers On Capital Efficiency As Treasury Flows StallLiquidity from corporate buyers also looks patchier. Coinbase’s David Duong said activity from treasury buyers has been quiet since the Oct. 10 drawdown, describing a lull in purchases over the past two weeks and a lack of clear re-engagement.For Robinhood, the calculus leans toward optionality. The firm already earns trading and custody revenues without taking price risk on its own balance sheet. Verma’s comments suggest management wants flexibility to deploy capital into growth initiatives, while keeping the door open if conditions or strategy change.Shareholder alignment remains the anchor. Verma said the team weighs whether holding tokens is the “best use of our capital,” and repeated that customers who want exposure can buy directly through the platform. The post Robinhood Avoids Piling Into Digital Asset Treasuries Despite the Hype — Here’s Why appeared first on Cryptonews.