Bermuda Post

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Is Robinhood safe? Experts weigh in on using the commission-free investing app

Is Robinhood safe? Experts weigh in on using the commission-free investing app

Robinhood is an app and web interface that allows users to buy, sell, trade, and invest in stocks and other investments (like cryptocurrency) without paying commission fees.

According to Douglas Boneparth, a certified financial planner and the president of the investment advising company Bone Fide Wealth, Robinhood is "geared toward the next generation of investors."

Yet that forward focus has led to the company being investigated for "gamifying" investing. The company is facing active lawsuits and increased regulatory scrutiny, in part because it restricted trading during the GameStop stock saga in 2021.

Robinhood's rise has been rocky, leading many to wonder whether it's safe to use.

The short answer? "Trade at your own risk," Boneparth says.


Is Robinhood safe?


When setting up an account with Robinhood, users give their personal information — such as their age, net worth, income, and Social Security number. According to Nickolas Sanchez, a certified financial planner at Financial Architects, this is an entirely normal process to trade stocks under SEC guidelines.

"This isn't a Robinhood-specific requirement," he says. "If you want to invest, even at the most reputable firms, you are going to have to give underlying personal information."

The Securities and Exchange Commission requires these details to avoid fraud and especially risky investments. And just like any other brokerage firm, Robinhood must abide by the fair practice regulations set by the SEC, including providing proof of fair dealings. Otherwise, they face being hit with fines or civil lawsuits.

Additionally, Robinhood is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, which offers financial protection if a brokerage firm were to fail. The SIPC can replace up to $500,000 for both securities and cash, including a $250,000 limit for cash only, in missing customer property.

So if Robinhood went bankrupt, as an investor on that brokerage platform, your funds could be transferred to another brokerage firm or refunded to you. But investments in cryptocurrency are not protected by either the SIPC or Robinhood.

Finally, Robinhood ensures its users that their passwords and "sensitive details" are encrypted. Once you verify your banking information, Robinhood says it will "never access them again." The app also offers two-factor authentication via SMS text message and third-party authentication apps for additional security protection.


The risks of using Robinhood to buy, sell, and trade stocks


Anyone can sign up and create a trading account with Robinhood within minutes, without any real training on the stock market or educational resources on how investing works. That, according to Boneparth, may be a disservice to its users.

The financial expert pointed to the case of 20-year-old Alexander Kearns, who died by suicide after thinking he lost $730,000 on Robinhood.

"Sure, Robinhood will tell you if you go to their website they have blogs and articles about investing, but that's no different than any other brokerage," Boneparth says. "At the end of the day, Robinhood is a business. They don't have a fiduciary obligation to their clients. They facilitate a service."

He adds that there are no risks specifically inherent to Robinhood's platform, yet advises his clients to bounce investment ideas off their personal investment advisor.

Sanchez agrees, telling Insider that the minimalistic design of the app, coupled with the commission-free trading feature, may "incentivize a lot of activity," which could pose a risk to one's portfolio.

"One school of thought is that the best approach to investing — and there's really no right answer — is to buy and hold stocks in quality companies that you believe in, that you trust, and that you use," Sanchez says.


The bottom line


In short, Robinhood is safe to use, but don't get caught up by the allure of free trading. Treat Robinhood like any other broker, and be careful with how you spend your money.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Bermuda Post
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
'I just lost it' Lowe’s worker fired after 13 years of employment for confronting thieves trying to steal $2K of merchandise
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
×