Robinhood Reportedly Returns To OpenAI With $75M Bet After Last Year’s Tokenization Clash

• RVI edged up 11% in pre-market trading on reports that its venture arm is investing $75M in OpenAI, its biggest private-market bet.
• The move marks a departure from last year’s meeting, when OpenAI turned down Robinhood’s launch of tokenized shares and denied any partnership.
• The deal is part of a larger trend with six private firms now for every public one as platforms like Robinhood look to bring retail investors into private markets.

Robinhood (HOOD) stock edged higher on Wednesday, gaining in premarket trading, following reports of Robinhood Ventures Fund's investment in OpenAI.

According to a New York Times report, Robinhood has made its largest private-market investment to date, committing $75 million through its venture arm to OpenAI. 

The deal, made through Robinhood Ventures Fund I (RVI), represents a major shift after tension last year when the brokerage offered retail-linked tokens tied to OpenAI without the company’s consent. “OpenAI is one of the frontier artificial intelligence companies, and we are incredibly proud to add them to the Fund,” said Sarah Pinto, President of Robinhood Ventures Fund I, adding the move aligns with its goal of giving everyday investors exposure to transformative companies.

Robinhood sparked controversy last year by enabling retail investors to gain tokenized exposure to OpenAI shares without the company’s involvement. Quickly, OpenAI denied any partnership with Robinhood or endorsement of the offering, warning users to be careful.

Robinhood’s stock was trading up by more than 4% in pre-market trading. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around HOOD drooped to ‘bullish’ from the ‘extremely bullish’ zone, while chatter around it dropped to ‘high’ from the ‘extremely high’ levels over the day.

RSVI stock was up over 11% in pre-market trade. In contrast to HOOD, retail sentiment around RSVI remained in the ‘ bearish’ zone, while chatter stayed at ‘extremely low’ levels.

Push Into $10 Trillion Private Markets

The shift, with both camps now seemingly on the same page, also marks a larger structural change. In the US, the number of publicly listed companies has fallen from approximately 7,000 in 2000 to roughly 4,000 in 2025, while private firms have exploded in both number and value. 

Private companies now outnumber public companies by more than six to one, with a collective value of more than $10 trillion. Platforms such as Robinhood are positioning themselves as gateways, despite ongoing concerns around transparency and investor protection.

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