https://www.investingsimple.com/is-robinhood-safe/ is an all-positive review.
It’s human nature — if you ask around, there can be a multitude of concerns, sometimes irrational or far-fetched. Better focus on the realistic concerns.
— Rbh and FSM regulated
FSM is a retail service provider and regulated by MAS.
Also, for mufu, client positions are maintained in the client trust account, insulated from FSM bankruptcy.
For stocks (non-SRS/CPF), custodian is iFast.
So I feel Rbh is less safe.
— concern: password leak, a realistic risk affecting all online trading systems.
Right now my NAV is small.
Action: update password soon.
— concern: platform unavailable when I need to liquidate. (Noe I rarely need to “buy at a golden opportunity”, so let’s not worry too much.)
This risk is higher for OTC and for less liquid names.
— concern: platform unavailable for good i.e. insolvency (company cash flow?) — SIPC . Very rare and protected, so let’s not worry too much.
— concern: theft of asset — SIPC. More rare than insolvency, and protected. Let’s not worry too much.
— concern: OTC markets are less liquid, less regulated than full exchanges. See below.
Specifically, when I need to sell in a hurry, I may need to wait (much) longer. Luckily, my quantities are small.
— Robinhood lists a number of safety concerns for crypto. I have highlighted the non-market risks.
Purchasing digital assets (such cryptocurrencies and associated derivative products) comes with a number of risks, including volatile market price swings or flash crashes, market manipulation, and cybersecurity risks. In addition, digital asset markets and exchanges are generally not regulated with the same controls or customer protections available in equity, option, futures, or foreign exchange investing. These exchanges are also sometimes vulnerable to intrusions in which digital assets are taken away from their rightful owners. Digital assets prices can change radically in a trading day and thus lead to significant and sudden financial losses. Under certain market conditions, you may find it difficult or impossible to liquidate a position quickly at a reasonable price. For additional information please refer to our Cryptocurrency Risk Disclosure.
— some Barrons journalist descriptions of Robinhood:
Robinhood, founded in 2013, had popularized fractional shares and zero-dollar commissions….
This year, we decided to see how Robinhood would fare against the full-service brokerages. Robinhood trailed the field, though it wasn’t a complete wipeout. Robinhood is easy to use, offers the ability to trade equities, some options, and cryptocurrencies, and has a clean, attractive design. The downside: It lacks the panoply of services and on-site resources of the full-service brokers.