Robinhood Files for SEC Approval to Launch Retail-Focused Private Markets Fund

Robinhood Markets Inc. has submitted a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to introduce a publicly listed fund aimed at granting retail investors access to pre-IPO private companies. The proposed Robinhood Ventures Fund I, trading under the ticker RVI on the New York Stock Exchange, WOULD hold long-term stakes in private firms across various sectors.

"Wealthy individuals and institutions have historically monopolized private market investments while retail investors faced exclusion," said CEO Vlad Tenev. The MOVE comes as U.S. public companies have dwindled from 7,000 in 2000 to 4,000 today, with private firms now representing over $10 trillion in value.

This initiative follows Robinhood's European expansion of tokenized stock products tied to companies like OpenAI and SpaceX. Approval could redefine retail participation in private markets traditionally dominated by institutional players.