Mobile securities platform Robinhood is accelerating its global cryptocurrency market strategy by acquiring the European-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp for approximately $200 million (about 270 billion won).
According to foreign media such as CNBC on the 2nd (local time), Robinhood has secured more than 50 digital asset licenses in Europe, the UK, and Asia through this acquisition. Accordingly, the strategy is to expand beyond a simple retail investment platform to services targeting institutional investors.
Bitstamp is a representative European exchange headquartered in Luxembourg, and has been one of the oldest exchanges in the industry since its establishment in 2011. It has over 5,000 institutional clients and more than 50,000 individual investors, and is known for its stable liquidity and regulatory compliance capabilities.
Johan Kerbrat, head of Robinhood's crypto division, emphasized that "this acquisition is a strategic move that combines the technologies and infrastructures of both companies, not just a market transition" and that "by utilizing Bitstamp's order books, APIs, and lending and staking functions, we will gain competitiveness in the institutional market".
Recently, Robinhood has also acquired WonderFi, a Canada-based cryptocurrency platform, and is expanding its presence in the North American market. In particular, this Bitstamp acquisition is expected to lead to full-scale business expansion in regions outside the United States.
The industry is evaluating this transaction as a signal demonstrating the sustainability and growth potential of the virtual asset market. Robinhood plans to maintain Bitstamp's existing operating system while pursuing gradual integration.
