Robinhood has expanded its trading offerings with its new forecast market hub to allow users to trade with the results of major events. Initially, traders could speculate on the Federal Reserve rate decisions and future university basketball tournaments, the company said.
“We believe in the power of forecast markets and believe they play an important role at the intersection of news, economics, politics, sports and culture,” commented JB McKenzie, Robinhood’s futures and international vice president. “We look forward to providing our customers with new ways to participate in the forecast market and we look forward to doing so in compliance with existing regulations.”
According to the announcement, Robinhood Derivatives, LLC (RHD) has introduced a hub for the standalone forecast market within its app. This feature allows users to engage in event-based transactions by purchasing contracts related to actual results.
Starting today, contracts can be exchanged at boys and women’s college basketball tournaments.
See it at Chip Off: https://t.co/wxpudpybjo pic.twitter.com/frf6xhr0xd
– Robinhood (@robinhoodapp) March 17, 2025
At launch, the hub will support trading at the top of the Federal Reserve target interest rates for May and men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments. Robinhood’s forecast market is operated through Kalshiex LLC, a regulated exchange overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
By introducing this new trading feature, Robinhood now aims to provide its customers with new ways to engage in events that suit their interests. The company emphasized that forecast markets operate within a regulated framework, ensuring transparency and liquidity.
Regulatory compliance and expansion plans
The company said it has been having close discussions with the CFTC and intends to maintain compliance while expanding its offering. This new feature is consistent with Robinhood’s broader mission to make financial markets more accessible.
Robinhood’s move to forecast markets underscores the growth trend of financial platforms integrating real events into trading strategies.
The initial offering focuses on interest rates and sports, but the company expects to expand into elections, corporate profits and geopolitical developments. The forecast market hub is currently rolling out and reportedly will be available to all eligible users across the US in the coming days.
Expect continuous updates as this story evolves.
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