Robinhood VP quashes stablecoin launch rumors

Robinhood Crypto Vice President and General Manager Johann Kerbrat put an end to recent rumors that the fintech giant has plans to launch its own stablecoin.

Kerbrat told Decrypt in an interview on Sept. 30 that Robinhood has no active plans to explore the development of a stablecoin.

Kerbrat said:

“At this point, we don’t have any immediate plan to launch a stablecoin. The rumors are always interesting, but we haven’t really spent time on it.”

His comments come after a recent Bloomberg News report claimed Robinhood and Revolut were looking to launch a stablecoin.

Despite rising interest in stablecoins, Kerbrat emphasized that Robinhood has no imminent plans to enter this space. He added:

“It’s always interesting to see where people think we’re going to go next, but for now, that’s not part of our roadmap.”

Robinhood’s approach to stablecoins has largely been through partnerships, including the listing of Circle’s USD Coin (USDC). Meanwhile, Revolut has expanded its crypto offerings but has not confirmed any specific plans for a stablecoin launch.

According to the report, Revolut declined to comment directly on the matter. However, a source familiar with the European fintech company said the firm was “exploring” the idea of launching a stablecoin. However, no clear timeline or concrete plans for a stablecoin release have been finalized at this point.

TradFi and stablecoins

The stablecoin market, led by Tether (USDT), holds a significant share of the overall crypto landscape, but new entrants have faced hurdles.

Major traditional financial firms like PayPal and JPMorgan, as well as crypto giants like Binance, have failed to challenge the dominance of USDT and USDC.

In August 2023, PayPal introduced its own stablecoin, PYUSD, aimed at facilitating seamless payments and transfers between users. Despite PayPal’s large user base, the stablecoin has struggled to gain significant traction in a market dominated by crypto-native players.

Despite the challenges, speculation continues to swirl about TradFi companies looking to capitalize on the growing demand for stable digital currencies, with Societe Generale being the latest to enter the space .