Robinhood CEO touts crypto’s cost advantage over TradFi operations

Tenev revealed during an interview that running a crypto business costs "roughly an order of magnitude" less than traditional financial services.

Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev recently highlighted the substantial efficiency benefits of crypto operations, arguing that the crypto business model outperforms traditional finance in both cost and customer service.

In a Nov. 12 appearance on CNBC, Tenev revealed that running a crypto business costs “roughly an order of magnitude” less than traditional financial services.

Crypto vs. TradFi

He emphasized that blockchain technology drastically lowers transaction and operational costs, providing crypto platforms with a significant competitive edge.

Tenev added that these savings allow crypto exchanges to offer features like fractional asset trading and 24/7 market access — advantages traditional financial systems struggle to match.

While many sectors continue to debate the future of digital assets, Tenev sees crypto as a critical component of the next generation of financial services. The current regulatory landscape, which is heavily influenced by the SEC, has caused many crypto innovations to move offshore.

However, Tenev believes that recent statements from the Trump administration could pave the way for a more accommodating regulatory approach in the US.

He said during the interview:

The government is starting to see the potential of crypto. With the right framework, the US could become a global leader in crypto innovation.”

Rise of stablecoins

Tenev also pointed to the rising global use of stablecoins, which now surpasses Visa in blockchain transaction volumes

He noted that the growth trajectory indicates that digital currencies are increasingly being adopted for significant financial transactions worldwide, further demonstrating their efficiency and potential to integrate with traditional finance.

The growth is even more apparent in emerging and developing economies, where people are increasingly turning to stablecoins to protect against high inflation and improve financial access.

Looking forward, Tenev believes that stablecoins and tokenization will continue to evolve, driving broader crypto adoption. Industry leaders across the sector echo this sentiment, with many seeing stablecoins as a “linchpin” for global finance.

As more sectors of the economy embrace digital assets, Tenev expects the cost and efficiency advantages of crypto to become even more apparent, reshaping the financial landscape.

Mentioned in this article