Robinhood Plans to Offer Crypto Perpetual Futures Trading in the US

WHY IT MATTERS

Imagine a regular futures contract as agreeing to buy something at a set price on a specific date. A perpetual future is similar, but it never expires — you can hold the position as long as you want. These contracts also typically allow leverage, meaning you can control a large position with a small amount of money, which amplifies both gains and losses. Until now, US traders have had very limited access to these products because regulators have been cautious about offering complex, high-risk instruments to everyday investors. Robinhood offering this product in the US is notable because it is a mainstream app used by millions of people, many of whom are newer to investing. This development also reflects how US rules around crypto trading may be evolving.