Robinhood is a US commission-free stock and crypto broker regulated by the SEC and FINRA, with SIPC protection on securities accounts. Its welcome offer is a free reward share, which for the large majority of new users is worth only a few dollars. It is available to US residents only.
Risk warning: Trading carries a high risk of losing money, especially with leveraged products such as CFDs. A bonus does not reduce that risk. Only deposit what you can afford to lose.
Robinhood
New US Robinhood customers who open and link an account get a free reward stock. For about 99% of people that share is worth $5, with a small chance of more, up to $200.
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Robinhood was founded in 2013 by Vladimir Tenev and Baiju Bhatt and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Its brokerage entities, Robinhood Financial LLC and Robinhood Securities LLC, are registered with the SEC, members of FINRA and members of SIPC, meaning securities and cash are protected up to $500,000 (including a $250,000 limit for cash) per separately capitalized account type, with excess-SIPC coverage through Lloyd's of London on top.
Crypto trading runs through the separate Robinhood Crypto entity, which is not a FINRA or SIPC member; crypto holdings are not covered by SIPC. Robinhood Crypto holds a New York BitLicense and money transmitter licenses across states. By the end of 2025 Robinhood reported 27 million funded customers and $324 billion in total platform assets, making it one of the largest retail brokerages in the US by account count.
Robinhood expanded into the United Kingdom starting in late 2023. The UK offering began with US-listed stock trading and has since added options, futures, margin investing and a stocks and shares ISA, but the bulk of its bonus programs remain US-focused.
The base account offers commission-free trading in US stocks, ETFs, options and cryptocurrency, plus fractional shares and cash management. Robinhood also offers traditional and Roth IRAs, futures, and a Gold-tier credit card.
Robinhood Gold is a $5/month (or roughly $50/year) subscription, with the first 30 days free. It raises the IRA contribution match from 1% to 3%, pays 3.35% APY on uninvested brokerage cash, allows larger instant deposits, and lowers per-contract pricing on futures and index options. Most of Robinhood's higher-value bonus tiers require an active Gold subscription.
Robinhood's flagship bonus is the IRA match: a 1% match on annual contributions, IRA transfers and old 401(k) rollovers for any customer, rising to 3% on annual contributions for Gold subscribers. The match does not count against the IRS annual IRA contribution limit. To keep the full match, the assets that earned it must stay in the Robinhood IRA for at least 5 years, and Gold subscribers must keep their subscription for 1 year after the first Gold-tier match; early withdrawal or early Gold cancellation can trigger a clawback equal to the match earned, plus a separate fee if the account transfers out.
Robinhood also runs periodic brokerage transfer promotions, such as a 2026 offer giving a 1% match on ACATS transfers into a taxable brokerage account for non-Gold customers, or 2% for Gold subscribers, plus reimbursement of transfer fees on larger transfers. These transfer bonuses run on limited windows and carry the same multi-year holding requirements as the IRA match.
The standing referral program gives both the referrer and a new customer a free stock once the new customer opens and funds a first individual taxable brokerage account and links a bank or debit card. The stock's cash value is between $5 and $200, and Robinhood's own disclosure states about 99% of recipients get the $5 tier, about 0.9% get $10, and about 0.1% get $200. Gift shares must be held 3 trading days before selling and stay in the account 30 days before proceeds can be withdrawn, with a $1,500 annual cap per person on this program.
Robinhood's account-opening and transfer bonuses are built for US residents; both parties in a referral must be US residents, and the IRA and ACATS match programs are tied to US retirement and brokerage account rules. The UK arm has run its own, separate promotions tied to its own products rather than mirroring the US structure.
Because the biggest matches (3% IRA, 2% ACATS) require an active Gold subscription and multi-year holding periods, the realistic value for a typical new user is much closer to the free-stock referral reward (mostly $5) or the 1% non-Gold match than to the headline percentages in marketing.
Tax treatment depends on account type. In a taxable brokerage account, referral and transfer bonuses are generally reported as miscellaneous income on Form 1099-MISC. Inside an IRA, the match is treated as interest income within the IRA itself, so it is not separately taxed on receipt, though it can matter later in specific situations such as a Roth conversion.
The most common ways people lose part or all of a Robinhood bonus are withdrawing IRA funds before the 5-year hold, canceling Gold before the required 1-year post-match hold, transferring the account out early, or not meeting basic eligibility such as being a first-time account holder for referral rewards. Terms are set by Robinhood's own promotion pages and can change or expire on short notice, so check the live offer before relying on specific percentages and windows.
Robinhood adds a percentage of your IRA contributions, transfers and old 401(k) rollovers as a match. Everyone gets 1% with no subscription required. Robinhood Gold subscribers get 3% on annual contributions (transfers and rollovers stay at 1%). The match does not count toward your annual IRA contribution limit, but you must keep the matched assets in the IRA for at least 5 years and, for the 3% tier, keep Gold for 1 year after the first Gold match, or Robinhood can claw the match back.
Yes. To keep the extra 2% that Gold adds, you need to maintain a Gold subscription for one year from the date of your first Gold-tier match. Canceling early puts that portion of the match at risk.
It depends on the account. In a taxable brokerage account, referral and transfer bonuses are generally reported as other income on a 1099-MISC. Inside an IRA, the match is treated as interest income within the tax-deferred IRA itself, though it can matter for tax purposes in cases like a Roth conversion. Check with a tax professional for your situation.
The advertised range is $5 to $200 in free stock, but per Robinhood's own disclosed odds, about 99% of people who claim the reward get the $5 tier. Treat the higher figures as a rare best case, not a typical outcome.
No. Robinhood's IRA match, transfer match and referral free-stock program are built around US brokerage and retirement account rules and are limited to US residents. The UK arm has run separate, smaller promotions tied to its own products like the stocks and shares ISA.
The main triggers are withdrawing IRA funds before the 5-year holding requirement, canceling Robinhood Gold before the required 1-year post-match hold, or transferring the account away early, which can also add a transfer fee. Referral stock must be held 3 trading days before selling and stay in the account 30 days before proceeds can be withdrawn.