Robinhood backs OpenAI with $75M retail access strategy

Robinhood Ventures Fund I said it bought about $75 million of OpenAI common stock on April 17. 

The company announced the deal on April 22 and described it as one of the fund’s largest investments so far. Robinhood Ventures Fund I, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RVI, was launched in March 2026. 

The fund said the OpenAI purchase fits its plan to give everyday investors access to private companies that are usually available only to large firms and wealthy buyers.

Fund structure gives indirect exposure

Robinhood said the investment will serve as the underlying asset for venture tokens tied to the fund. Those tokens are meant to give customers price exposure to OpenAI through the fund rather than direct ownership of OpenAI shares.

The fund is set up as a closed-end vehicle that holds stakes in private companies including Stripe, Ramp, Revolut, Databricks and OpenAI. Robinhood says RVI is open to retail investors without accreditation requirements or investment minimums, though the fund carries risk and does not work like direct stock ownership.

Moreover, the new investment also comes after tension between Robinhood and OpenAI in 2025. At that time, Robinhood promoted OpenAI-linked tokens for users in the European Union, but OpenAI said it had not approved any equity transfer connected to that product.

Robinhood later said those products gave indirect exposure through a special purpose vehicle rather than direct equity in OpenAI.

Market reaction and legal questions

Robinhood shares traded about 2% higher after the announcement, while the fund rose about 13% (per Yahoo Finance data). The move added fresh attention to private company access as investor demand for artificial intelligence assets remains strong.

Even so, the structure keeps legal and product questions in focus. Buyers of venture-linked tokens or fund shares do not receive voting rights in OpenAI, direct claims on company assets, or internal company information.