US online broker Robinhood is preparing a new product for its retail audience. The company plans to launch a fund that will hold a portfolio of private AI start-ups, opening a market long considered the preserve of venture capitalists to small investors.Join IG, CMC, and Robinhood in London’s leading trading industry event!Chief Executive Vlad Tenev told the Financial Timeshe is more interested in giving “normal people exposure to the rapid growth of private AI companies” than worrying about whether a bubble is forming in the sector. Artificial intelligence, he said, will bring about “widescale disruption and we want people to have exposure to the drivers of that disruption.”Robinhood said the new fund will be managed by Robinhood Ventures, its investment arm, and will focus on “five or more best-in-class private companies”. Investors will be able to purchase tradable shares in the fund, giving them indirect exposure to the private AI market.A New Access StrategyRobinhood’s ideology remains the same — expanding access to financial markets. In 2021, it was volatile meme stocks; now, it is private companies whose valuations have soared over the past year.According to PitchBook data, just ten lossmaking AI start-ups added nearly $1tn in value over the past twelve months through private deals.Tenev said retail traders — famous for “buying the dip” — are eager for such opportunities despite the high risk and the awareness that investments could go to zero. “Robinhood customers are buying heavily into the AI theme,” he noted.Analysts Are CautiousThe initiative has raised concerns among analysts, who point to the fund’s risky structure. The vehicle will be closed-end, meaning investors will not be able to redeem their shares on demand. In a market downturn, they risk finding their money locked up indefinitely.“Managing a complex, private-equity-style strategy like this could seriously burn their fast-moving user base,” warned Bryan Armour, director of passive strategies research at Morningstar.In essence, Robinhood aims to give retail traders access to a segment previously reserved for large investors. The company that once reshaped public markets now wants to do the same in private markets — this time with all the risks and restrictions such access entails.WATCH: A tumble on Wall Street turned into a full-on slide in Asian stocks, as fears are growing that AI stocks could be in bubble territory. Find out more on what's moving the markets with Reuters Market Rundown pic.twitter.com/lOVbHQyJ4O— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) November 5, 2025Robinhood Goes Beyond TradingRobinhood Markets is also widening its product suite. The company has launched futures trading for UK clients, adding more than 40 CME Group contracts across indices, energy, metals and foreign exchange to its mobile app and its new desktop platform, Robinhood Legend. Contract fees start at $0.75 per trade, with real-time market data included.In the US, Robinhood recently introduced a mortgage benefit for its Gold subscribers, offering discounted home loans through a partnership with Sage Home Loans. Eligible customers can access mortgage rates at least 0.75 percentage points below the national average and receive a $500 closing credit — part of the broker’s push to extend beyond investing into personal finance.The retail platform has also expanded its prediction market offerings, allowing users to trade on event-based contracts such as award outcomes, streaming charts and cultural milestones — from Grammy nominations to TIME Person of the Year predictions.This article was written by Finance Magnates Staff at www.financemagnates.com.