Robinhood Markets filed to launch a new fund givingretail traders exposure to companies before they go public, aimed at opening privatemarkets to everyday investors. According to the fintech giant, the new platform,dubbed Robinhood Ventures DE, LLC,submitted an initial registration statement to the U.S. Securities and ExchangeCommission for Robinhood Ventures Fund I (RVI). Once approved, the closed-end fund would invest in private companies and make its shares available to the public.Shifting Investment Landscape“For decades, wealthy people and institutions haveinvested in private companies while retail investors have been unfairly lockedout. With Robinhood Ventures, everyday people will be able to invest inopportunities once reserved for the elite,” commented Robinhood Chairman andCEO Vlad Tenev.Discover how neo-banks become wealthtech in London at the fmls25The filing comes as the pool of U.S. public companiescontinues to shrink. Listed firms have dropped from about 7,000 in 2000 toroughly 4,000 in 2024, limiting choices for retail traders. In contrast,private companies have grown in both scale and value, with estimates placingthe market above $10 trillion.RVI will reportedly focus on a concentrated portfolioof firms in high-growth industries, holding stakes through IPO and beyond. Thefund intends to diversify across multiple sectors while keeping a long-termview.SEC Review Still PendingShares of RVI cannot be sold until the SEC declares that the registration is effective. Robinhood said it expects the fund to list on theNew York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RVI. Investors would be able tobuy and sell shares through brokerages such as Robinhood Financial LLC.The planned fund follows Robinhood’s earlier move inEurope to launch private tokenized stocks. With RVI, the company is seeking toextend that model to U.S. markets and widen access to private firms for retailinvestors.Expect ongoing updates as this story evolves.This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.