Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Apr 05, 2026

Robinhood pulls bank charter application as fintechs face hurdles to disrupting financial system

Robinhood pulls bank charter application as fintechs face hurdles to disrupting financial system

Stock-trading start-up Robinhood is pulling its bank charter application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which was submitted earlier this year. A Robinhood spokesperson said the withdrawal was voluntary.

A source familiar with the decision said the charter withdrawal did not reflect a change in the company’s road map.

The $7.6 billion company’s change of heart highlights the struggles tech companies can face when trying to disrupt the banking system.

Robinhood is no longer looking to become a federally insured bank.

The stock-trading start-up announced Wednesday that it was pulling its bank charter application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which was submitted earlier this year. A Robinhood spokesperson said the withdrawal was voluntary. But the move highlights the struggles a tech company can face when trying to upend the financial system.

“Robinhood will continue to focus on increasing participation in the financial system and challenging the industry to better serve everyone,” the spokesperson told CNBC. “We appreciate the efforts and collaboration of all the parties we worked with throughout this process.”

The Menlo Park, California-based company, offers commission-free stock and cryptocurrency trading. It also launched a cash management account almost a year after the botched announcement of what it called a checking and savings account with a 3% interest rate. A day later, the digital brokerage firm announced it would re-launch and re-name the product, catching the attention of U.S. senators in the process who said they were “concerned” that Robinhood and other fintech companies may be dodging regulatory scrutiny. A source familiar with Wednesday’s announcement said the charter withdrawal does not reflect a change in the company’s product plans.

While Robinhood’s change of heart highlights tech’s struggles to disrupt the banking industry, it shouldn’t be a major setback for much of the company’s plans. Fintech has the ability to offer many of the same products as Wall Street firms, without the same regulatory requirements, through partner banks. Teaming up with FDIC-insured banks to handle customer deposits is a popular set-up for tech companies in financial services. The start-up handles the app and customer experience, while the bank holds customer deposits. Apple and Goldman Sachs are the most high-profile example of that teamwork with the launch of the Apple Card. Google and Citi are also partnering to launch a Google-branded debit account.


Fast track bank charter shut down


Jack Dorsey’s Square has applied for a special industrial loan company license with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, which allows less traditional financial firms to accept government-insured deposits. Varo Money, a mobile-only banking start-up, made history as the first fintech to receive preliminary approval for a national bank charter from the OCC. They still need full approval from the agency, as well as FDIC approval, according to the CEO.

Fintech companies had welcomed a special bank charter that cleared a quicker path for them to become a bank. But that was shut down in October after a federal district court in New York decided that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the regulator issuing the charters, didn’t have the authority to do so. That also meant that finance start-ups will have to go through the same drawn out process as everyone else.

Robinhood ushered in a $7.6 billion valuation after its latest funding round. The company first shook up the brokerage space in 2013 with commission-free trading. Major incumbents like Charles Schwab and Fidelity have slashed fees to zero commissions since.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Considers Deploying Aircraft Carrier for US Independence Day Celebrations Amid Renewed Transatlantic Focus
United Kingdom Moves to Attract AI Firm Anthropic Amid Tensions with US Defense Officials
RAF Intercepts Iranian Drones in Middle East to Defend Allied Security Interests
Labour Signals Shift on Foie Gras and Fur Restrictions to Advance EU Trade Talks
Seven Arrested Near RAF Base as UK Authorities Respond to Protest Activity
Economic Pressures Mount as Analysts Warn UK Growth Is Being Constrained by Policy Burdens
UK Green Party’s Push for Church-State Separation Sparks Debate Over National Identity
Strategic Island Emerges as Growing Challenge for United States and United Kingdom Defense Planning
Pepsi Pulls Sponsorship from UK Festival Following Backlash Linked to Kanye West
Signs Emerge of Declining Enthusiasm for Social Media in the United Kingdom
Security Alert Raised Ahead of Meghan Markle’s Planned Visit to Australia
UK Food Halls Defy Hospitality Slowdown, Emerging as Bright Spot in Challenging Market
UK Sets Firm Conditions for Military Action, Insisting on Legal Mandate and Clear Strategy
UK Medicines Regulator Launches Probe into Peptide Clinics Over Health Claims
New North Sea Drilling Unlikely to Significantly Cut UK Gas Imports, Analysis Finds
Woman Linked to UK’s First All-Female Terror Plot Faces Deportation
Downed US Aircraft Over Iran Linked to Operations from UK Airfield
Two Men and Teen Detained in UK Following Attack on Jewish Charity Ambulance
UK Police Launch Inquiry After Firearms Left Unattended Outside Mayor’s Residence
Giuffre Family Calls on King Charles to Meet Epstein Survivors During US Visit
Amber Wind Warning Issued as Storm Dave Approaches Parts of the United Kingdom
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit Set to Draw Heightened Global Attention
UK Considers Entry Fees for Overseas Visitors at Major Museums Ahead of 2026 Travel Season
UK Prime Minister and Kuwait Crown Prince Coordinate Security Response After Regional Escalation
Calls Grow to Expand Fully Paid Maternity Leave for UK Teachers Amid Workforce Pressures
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access to US Market in Landmark Pharmaceuticals Agreement
Trump Projects Strength in Critique of UK Leadership and Naval Readiness
UK FinTech Setback as VibePay and Smartlayer Cease Operations Amid Funding Pressures
UK Leads Global Coalition of Over Forty Nations to Address Strait of Hormuz Crisis
UK Firms Urged to Accelerate Preparation as New Sustainability Reporting Rules Take Shape
UK Moves Rapid Sentry Air Defence System to Kuwait After Drone Strike Escalation
Transatlantic Relations Tested as UK Seeks Balance While Trump Reshapes Strategic Approach
Trump’s Strategic Pressure on UK Seen as Push for Stronger Alignment and Fairer Terms
UK Focuses on Trade Finance to Secure Critical Materials for Defence and Energy Sectors
Majority of UK Businesses Hit by Middle East Conflict While Confidence Holds Firm
UK Royal Navy Faces Renewed Scrutiny as Debate Intensifies Over Capability and Readiness
Reform UK Faces Mounting Distractions as Policy Agenda Struggles to Gain Traction
Investigation Launched Into Northern Cyprus IVF Clinics After UK Families Receive Incorrect Sperm
International Meeting Issues Unified Call to Safeguard Navigation Through Strait of Hormuz
Potential Strait of Hormuz Closure Raises Concerns Over UK Food and Medicine Supply Chains
UK Leads Coalition of Over Forty Nations Urging Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access for Medicines in Landmark US Pharma Trade Agreement
King Charles III Invited to Address Joint Session of U.S. Congress in Rare Diplomatic Honor
Debate Grows Over Whether Expanded North Sea Drilling Can Reduce UK Energy Bills
UK Faces Heightened Risk of Jet Fuel Shortages, Airline Chief Warns
UK Ends Police Investigations into Lawful Social Media Posts After Review Finds Overreach
Abramovich Moves to Establish Charity for Frozen Chelsea Sale Proceeds Amid UK Dispute
Starmer Reaffirms NATO Commitment While Responding to Trump’s Strategic Critique
UK Aid Reductions Raise Fears of Severe Human Impact Across Parts of Africa
UK Signals Renewed Push for EU Cooperation as Iran Conflict Reshapes Security Landscape
×