Open a Robinhood Account in 2026

How to Open a Robinhood Account

Main Points:

• An investment account at Robinhood can easily be opened on the broker’s website or mobile app.

• Some accounts require an existing securities brokerage account.

• Various eligibility requirements must be met to open a Robinhood account.

If you’re thinking about opening a new brokerage account at Robinhood, read this first:

Robinhood Account Opening Requirements

To open a Robinhood brokerage account, you must meet these requirements:

Have a Social Security Number (SSN); an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) won’t work
Be at least 18 years old
Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have a valid U.S. visa (not all visas are accepted)
Have a residential address in the United States (the U.S. is defined here as Puerto Rico, the 50 states, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; U.S. military personnel stationed abroad may qualify for an exception)

Separately, Robinhood Europe offers cryptocurrency and stock-token trading to eligible European customers. The company operates a crypto platform in Europe that allows residents of supported countries to open accounts without a U.S. brokerage account. Traditional U.S. securities brokerage accounts are not available through Robinhood Europe.

Robinhood open Account

How to Open a Robinhood Brokerage Account

To open an individual or joint brokerage account at Robinhood for securities trading, and click the button to sign up. You may also see a button labeled “Start with more.” Either option can begin Robinhood’s online application.

Go through the application pages and enter all requested details. You’ll need to start with an email address and a mobile phone number. Robinhood will send a verification code to your phone, which you’ll need to enter to continue.

Later in the application, you must provide your SSN, date of birth, and country of citizenship. Robinhood does not require U.S. citizenship, so citizens of many other countries are eligible. As mentioned above, you must also provide a qualifying U.S. residential address.

Besides the website, an account can also be opened through Robinhood’s mobile app. After downloading the app to an Android or Apple device, select the sign-up option. This will start the same account-opening process available on the website.

Robinhood Sign Up Promotion

How to Open a Robinhood Crypto Account

If you want to open a U.S.-based crypto account, the first step is to open the securities brokerage account described above. A Robinhood Crypto account must be linked to a Robinhood Financial brokerage account to remain active and funded.

To open a crypto account, log into Robinhood and navigate to the cryptocurrency trading section. Select an available cryptocurrency and follow the prompts to activate crypto trading and complete any required agreements. Your cryptocurrency holdings will be maintained in a separate Robinhood Crypto account, rather than in your securities brokerage account.

The same general eligibility requirements for U.S. securities accounts apply to crypto customers. Cryptocurrency availability also depends on the customer’s state of residence.

How to Open a Robinhood Futures Account

A separate Robinhood Derivatives account is required to trade futures contracts. To qualify, you must first have an individual securities brokerage account with either margin investing enabled or options trading approved. Once your brokerage account meets these requirements, search for a futures contract in the Robinhood app or website, select Trade, and choose Buy or Sell to start the application. Robinhood can take up to 72 business hours to review a futures application.

How to Open a Robinhood Robo Account

American investors who want to open a managed account with Robinhood Strategies must first have an unrestricted individual brokerage account with Robinhood Financial. After opening that account, log into the mobile app and select Account (person icon) → Add account. Choose Individual or Retirement, and then select Managed by Robinhood Strategies. Complete the questionnaire about your investment goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. A Robinhood Gold subscription is not required to use Robinhood Strategies.

open new Robinhood account

How to Open a Robinhood IRA

To open an Individual Retirement Account, log into the mobile app and select the Account icon, then choose Add account and the retirement account option. Select a Roth or Traditional IRA and follow the on-screen instructions. You can choose a self-directed IRA or an IRA managed by Robinhood Strategies. An existing Robinhood login is needed to add an IRA, but a taxable brokerage account is not required to open a self-directed IRA.

Rules in Europe

European residents cannot open traditional U.S. securities brokerage accounts through Robinhood Europe. To open a European crypto account, download the Robinhood app and complete the registration and identity verification process. Eligible applicants can use a tax identification number from their country of tax residence; a U.S. Social Security Number or U.S. residential address is not required.

Robinhood Europe also offers Classic Stock Tokens, which are blockchain-based derivatives tracking the prices of U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs. To trade them, eligible customers must complete an investor questionnaire, knowledge assessment, and the required agreements. Stock Tokens can be traded through the Robinhood Europe account after approval; a separate U.S. securities brokerage account is not needed.

Fees and Minimums

A self-directed brokerage account in the U.S. offers $0 commissions on stocks, equity options, and ETFs. Standard brokerage accounts have no minimum deposit requirement or annual account maintenance fee. Robinhood Strategies charges a 0.25% annual management fee and has a $50 minimum investment. Gold members pay the management fee only on the first $100,000 of assets in each eligible managed account.

Stock Tokens in European accounts have a 0.1% foreign exchange conversion fee on each buy or sell transaction, with no additional Robinhood trading commission.

Open Robinhood Account

Visit Robinhood Website

Updated on 10/10/2026.

About the Author

Chad Morris has been analyzing investment firms for Brokerage-Review.com since 2015. Backed by FINRA Series 65, 66, and SIE credentials, his work reflects a deep knowledge of the retail brokerage industry and digital trading tools.