Florida Cracks Down: Robinhood Faces Probe Over Shady Crypto Pricing & Deceptive Promotions

Robinhood's 'democratized finance' slogan gets a reality check as Florida regulators take aim at alleged crypto misconduct.

The Price Isn't Right

State investigators claim the trading platform misled users with inaccurate cryptocurrency valuations—turning 'free trading' into a bait-and-switch scheme.

Promotional Pitfalls

Flashy sign-up bonuses and limited-time offers now face scrutiny for potentially violating consumer protection laws. Because nothing says 'financial revolution' like regulatory subpoenas.

Broken Trust, Broken Model?

As the probe unfolds, one thing's clear: when a platform famous for 'stonks' stumbles into crypto, the house always wins—even when it's playing catch-up with watchdogs.

• Florida AG launches formal investigation of Robinhood’s cryptocurrency price claims.
• The case centers on alleged unfair advertising methods as a state-law claim.
• Payment for the order flow model can contribute stealthy expenses to the user’s trading.

Robinhood Markets Inc., the California-based trading platform known for its commission-free model, is now being seriously investigated by the State of Florida.

In July 2025, the Florida Attorney General’s Office officially investigated the cryptocurrency subsidiary of the company, Robinhood Crypto, LLC, alleged to use fraudulent marketing strategies.

According to the Attorney General, the website’s persistent claim as the “cheapest way to buy crypto” doesn’t automatically become the actual prices people are paying. That allegation falls into the potential violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

About the investigation, the Office of the Attorney General issued a subpoena to Robinhood for marketing documents, internal reports, and records related to the cryptocurrency trading fees.

Authorities are probing the allegation that consumers were tricked into a perception that Robinhood had better prices compared to the competition, while evidence does indeed suggest the opposite.

Third-Party Routing Raises Crypto Transparency Concerns

At the center of the case is the payment for order FLOW (PFOF) model of Robinhood, a practice of forwarding trades directly to third-party market makers instead of executing them.

Those third parties are paid for order flow, as a result of which the platform can afford to offer zero-commission trades. But the practice often raises transparency and conflict-of-interest issues.

Detractors contend that the user can receive a lower benefit price unknowingly in the crypto transactions, specifically when competing platforms provide clear all-in fee models. While a user pays a noticeable fee, they could receive a better price and trade execution in the long run.

Florida regulators are now investigating the case to see how the PFOF model used by Robinhood escalates indirect customer costs while seeming to abate the stated prices to the public.

Investigation Could Impact Broader Crypto Landscape

The result of this investigation could have far-reaching effects for how Robinhood does business and conducts marketing activities throughout the United States.

If the business were found to have violated the laws of Florida, a financial penalty could result, as could a mandate to change how it advertises services that are cryptocurrency-based.

Also, the case might provoke similar investigations elsewhere, specifically as online asset sites keep expanding their growth and use.

As the state of Florida promotes itself as a hub for crypto innovation, the state’s regulators are sending a powerful message that they need full transparency from platforms that are doing business within the state’s limits.

This article is based on real-time market data and general technical observations. It does not constitute financial advice. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.