OpenAI has distanced itself from Robinhood’s new “OpenAI token” marketing campaign, saying it didn’t authorize or take part within the promotion that gives customers publicity to its ‘fairness’ by tokenized property.
The AI firm issued a agency assertion on X on Wednesday, rejecting any involvement within the initiative, which the buying and selling platform unveiled earlier this week.
On Monday, Robinhood introduced a giveaway of 5 euros price of OpenAI and SpaceX tokens to eligible customers within the European Union who register to commerce its newly launched inventory tokens by July 7.
The transfer was a part of a broader product rollout in Cannes, France, targeted on tokenized equities and blockchain infrastructure. The information despatched Robinhood shares hovering to a brand new all-time excessive, crossing the $100 mark.
These “OpenAI tokens” should not OpenAI fairness. We didn’t associate with Robinhood, weren’t concerned on this, and don’t endorse it. Any switch of OpenAI fairness requires our approval—we didn’t approve any switch.
Please watch out.— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) July 2, 2025
“Your Fairness is Pretend”: Elon Musk
In response, Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI and at present leads SpaceX, amplified OpenAI’s denial with a blunt publish of his personal.
“Your ‘fairness’ is faux,” Musk wrote on X. His comment echoed his long-standing criticism of OpenAI’s shift from a nonprofit to a profit-driven mannequin.
Nonetheless, his remark targeted on OpenAI’s inner construction. He didn’t tackle the SpaceX tokens that had been additionally a part of the promotion.
Robinhood, for its half, defended the providing. CEO Vlad Tenev acknowledged that the tokens weren’t technically fairness however argued they offer retail customers a uncommon alternative to realize publicity to non-public tech giants.
“Our giveaway crops a seed for one thing a lot greater,” he wrote, including that the corporate has heard from many non-public companies fascinated about becoming a member of what he referred to as a “tokenization revolution.”
At our latest crypto occasion, we introduced a restricted Inventory Token giveaway on OpenAI and SpaceX to eligible European prospects. Whereas it’s true that they aren’t technically “fairness” (you possibly can see the exact dynamics in our Phrases for these ), the tokens successfully give…
— Vlad Tenev (@vladtenev) July 2, 2025
Robinhood Says Tokens Provide Entry, Not Fairness, as Debate Over Legitimacy Grows
In line with the corporate, the property are issued by a particular objective automobile. They’re then supplied by way of Robinhood’s crypto platform.
As well as, the corporate is utilizing the EU’s extra relaxed guidelines on investor participation to allow the launch.
Additional, Robinhood has said that these tokens are designed to supply oblique publicity to non-public corporations. This method goals to broaden entry for particular person buyers who’re sometimes excluded from conventional enterprise capital markets.
Supporters on-line echoed that view. One person posted that the critics had been “lacking the forest for the bushes. In line with the publish, entry issues greater than authorized precision for on a regular basis buyers. In response, Tenev replied with a single phrase: “exactly.”
Nonetheless, the episode reveals ongoing tensions within the crypto house.
On one facet are platforms desperate to democratize entry to monetary markets. On the opposite are corporations whose model and fairness are being represented on-chain with out formal partnerships.
Moreover, regulatory boundaries stop US customers from accessing these tokens.
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