Robinhood is bringing AI trading agents into its app, allowing customers to research markets, build strategies and authorise trades based on their instructions.

The announcement also includes crypto perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage, CoinDesk reports. Access will depend on eligibility and the rollout schedule.

How the trading agents work

At its September 29 event, Robinhood outlined three main capabilities:

  • Research and execute strategies: Customers can discuss ideas with an agent, analyse market information and place trades within the app.
  • Control access and approvals: Agents operate through a dedicated account. Manual approval for each trade is enabled by default, with settings customers can adjust.
  • Automate recurring tasks with Loops: This forthcoming feature will let users schedule market checks and execute trades when specified conditions are met, including overnight.

According to Robinhood’s announcement, Loops is still coming soon, so continuous overnight automation should not be confused with a feature already available to every customer.

Crypto leverage and weekend trading are also planned

Eligible U.S. customers will gain access to perpetual futures with up to 10x leverage on Bitcoin and Ether, and up to 3x on other supported cryptocurrencies.

Robinhood also plans weekend trading for selected stocks and ETFs, subject to regulatory review. An agent operating continuously does not mean every security can already be traded around the clock.

Automation does not guarantee better returns

The business opportunity is greater customer engagement and more trading activity. For users, however, faster execution is valuable only if the underlying strategy works.

AI can misinterpret instructions or act on incomplete information, while leverage magnifies losses as well as gains. Customers remain responsible for their agents’ trades.

Related: Meta Wants to Do Your Shopping. Amazon Has Other Plans.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content is for informational and educational purposes only.