Robinhood expands its global push, minutes from crypto chief’s old cramped apartment in Cannes
CANNES — Fifteen years after flipping burgers at a McDonald‘s and teaching himself to code at night in a cramped apartment near the French Riviera, Robinhood crypto chief Johann Kerbrat is back.
The last time he lived around Cannes, he was 21 — with no connections, no funding, and no formal business training. But he had a knack for programming and a drive to solve real-world problems.
Kerbrat, who is now senior vice president and crypto GM at Robinhood, quit his job just before starting university in nearby Nice, and soon after launched his first fintech startup: a no-code payments company built from scratch to help small merchants create e-commerce sites without hiring developers.
“It was in my little studio — probably smaller than your bathroom,” he said. “Initially, we didn’t have any employees, but it was right at the beginning of e-commerce. Back then, if you were a merchant you didn’t really have an option, you had to hire an agency and spend tens of thousands of euros. The idea was to let people build their own thing without any technical knowledge — kind of what Shopify is doing now.”
But the timing was right. The early 2010s brought a boom in online commerce, and Kerbrat’s tool gave small merchants a chance to compete. It also opened his eyes to how fragile and expensive the global financial system really was.
A classmate from Greece told him how his family’s bank accounts had been frozen during the eurozone crisis. Around the same time, merchants using his platform were struggling with high fees, chargebacks, and fraud. And then the Bitcoin white paper landed.
“I was like, ‘Okay, that’s a solution for everything,’ ” he said
Now, from Château de la Croix des Gardes, a Belle Époque mansion perched along the same coastline where he once lived and worked the night shift in fast food, he’s part of the most ambitious crypto product suite in Robinhood’s history.
On Monday the company announced an expanded offering of tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs across Europe, crypto staking in the U.S., perpetual futures for eligible EU traders, and a new Layer 2 blockchain optimized for real-world asset settlement and 24/7 trading.
“It’s absolutely surreal,” said Kerbrat, seated inside the iconic Carlton Hotel — a five-star landmark that once felt impossibly out of reach. “When I was younger, I used to walk past this place — and I could have never, never stayed here.”
The announcement coincides with the Ethereum Community Conference, hosted in Cannes for the first time, and Robinhood’s latest regulatory approvals across Europe.
Robinhood’s latest move is its most serious push yet to blend traditional finance with blockchain-based infrastructure.
Shares hit a record high following the announcement and are up over 100% this year.
Kerbrat said the goal isn’t to dazzle with features. It’s to make crypto disappear into the background. He likened it to plumbing.
“You don’t think about how water gets to your tap,” he said. “You just expect it to be there.”
But there is still plumbing to build out.
At the heart of Monday’s launch are tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs, now available to customers in 30 EU and European Economic Area countries. The tokens — built first on Arbitrum — offer 24/5 access, dividend support, and zero commission or spread from Robinhood. Eventually, they’ll migrate to a custom Layer 2 blockchain built to support tokenized assets, seamless bridging, and self-custody.
In the U.S., Robinhood is debuting staking for Ethereum and Solana, allowing users to earn rewards by supporting network operations. In Europe, crypto perpetual futures will offer eligible users up to 3x leverage, routed through Bitstamp. Other upgrades include smart exchange routing, tax lot management, and advanced charting tools — all designed to make crypto feel as seamless and intuitive as trading stocks.
“When we talk about mass adoption,” Kerbrat said, “This is what it looks like. A product people use — without needing to know how it works.”
For Kerbrat, who spent his adolescence between Cannes and Nice, the return isn’t just symbolic. It’s a measure of how far he’s come — and how much still feels the same.
His father worked in IT. His mother stayed home with him and his sister. One day, his dad brought home a clunky old Apple computer with a black-and-white screen and that was the spark. By 7, he was experimenting. By 11, he was programming regularly. And by 17, he was already trying to fix the broken parts of the internet economy he saw around him.
His parents, now living further inland, drove in just in time to watch the launch. They remember the early days, he said — the tiny apartment, the first lines of code, the endless conversations with merchants who didn’t quite believe his pitch — that anyone could build an e-commerce site without knowing how to code.
“We chose Cannes because of licensing, and because the conference was here,” he said. “But I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t feel good.”
He paused, letting the moment settle.
“I never thought I’d be back here like this.”
A long-time Tesla engineer announced his departure from the company, citing Elon Musk as the primary reason for quitting. In his public exit letter, he decided to expose the CEO’s betrayal of Tesla’s mission.
Giorgio Balestrieri spent the last 8 years at Tesla.
He spent most of his time as a data analyst in the energy storage division and then as an algorithm engineer working on Autobidder, Tesla’s real-time trading and control platform for energy assets.
During his tenure, Balestrieri helped accelerate the deployment of energy storage from its infancy to its current status as a significant piece of the energy transition puzzle.
Today, he announced his departure from Tesla.
In an exit letter made public on LinkedIn, Balestrieri thanked his colleagues and congratulated them on all the progress they accomplished together over the years.
In the letter, the engineer was not shy about stating “the main reason” why he was leaving: Elon Musk.
Balestrieri explained that he believes the CEO has failed Tesla’s mission:
All this being said, I do need to address the elephant in the room: the main reason I’m leaving is that I think Elon has dealt huge damage to Tesla’s mission (and to the health of democratic institutions in several countries). Beyond that, Elon’s leadership and decision making seem seriously compromised. Given his huge (and growing, inexplicably) stake in Tesla, I can’t convince myself anymore that this is the right place to be. This is not just about politics: it’s about lying to the public, manipulating public discourse, targeting minorities and supporting climate change deniers and political forces aligned with the oil and gas industry. I think it’s fairly indisputable that the current US administration is slowing down the energy transition. Unfortunately, speed is critical if we are to avert the worst consequences of climate change.
You can read the full letter here.
Electrek’s Take
Good for him. I share the sentiment.
I don’t blame anyone working at Tesla. Like Balestrieri, you can have a meaningful job at Tesla that still contributes to the mission to accelerate the world’s transition to a sustainable economy.
However, it can be frustrating when the CEO takes clear actions against the mission on a large scale, such as funding climate change-denying politicians who are implementing policies that are now slowing the deployment of renewable energy and the electric transport transition.
For many people who joined Tesla for the mission, seemingly like Balestrieri, it can feel counterproductive.
I think it’s clear that it is contributing to the significant talent exodus we have been seeing at Tesla over the last two years.
Musk’s leadership is not what it used to be.
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Global EV sales climbed again in August 2025, with 1.7 million electric vehicles hitting the road worldwide. That’s a 5% jump compared to July and 15% higher than August 2024, according to new data from Rho Motion.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) made up the bulk of sales at 1.16 million units, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) accounted for 570,000. In total, 12.5 million EVs have been sold in the first eight months of this year.
Charles Lester, data manager at Rho Motion, explained what’s driving the numbers:
The North American market has reached a record monthly high as consumers in the US accelerate purchases to take advantage of the tax credit before it expires at the end of September. Momentum remains in Europe, underpinned by the emissions legislation, with major automotive countries, Germany and the UK, growing by 45% and 31% YTD, respectively.
Year-over-year growth in the Chinese market slowed in July-August 2025; however, this is compared to a period where subsidies for the auto trade-in scheme increased last year, which spurred EV demand in the country.
Here’s how year-to-date sales stack up against the same period in 2024:
- Global: 12.5 million, up 25%
- China: 7.6 million, up 25%
- Europe: 2.6 million, up 31%
- North America: 1.3 million, up 6%
- Rest of world: 1.0 million, up 44%
Europe is seeing some of the fastest growth. Sales are up 31% year to date, split nearly evenly between BEVs and PHEVs. Germany leads the charge with a 45% jump, while the UK is up 31%. Spain has doubled its EV sales this year, and Italy is up 41%. France is the outlier, with sales down 9% so far in 2025. August sales in the UK dipped 32% compared to July, but that’s a normal seasonal slowdown before a big surge in September tied to new license plate numbers.
On the model front, Ford’s Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier both qualified for the maximum UK discount of £3,750 ($5,100). Chinese automaker BYD continues its push in Europe, with the Seal U becoming one of the region’s bestselling PHEVs. In September, BYD added another model, the Seal 6 PHEV.
In North America, sales are up 6% so far this year, but August set a new monthly record as US buyers rushed to lock in the federal tax credit before it ends September 30. Analysts expect strong September numbers, followed by a steep drop in Q4. Automakers are already preparing for a pullback: VW will pause ID.4 production in October, and GM is expected to cut EV output once the credit disappears. Canada is struggling, with EV sales down by a third this year after the iZEV rebate was paused. That slump, paired with tough economic conditions, could derail the country’s 2026 EV sales mandate, which Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused while the government deals with US tariff impacts.
China, the world’s largest EV market, grew sales 11% in August compared to July and 6% year over year. Year-to-date sales are still up 25%, but growth has slowed compared to last year, when a boosted auto trade-in subsidy drove demand. BYD, the country’s dominant player, cut its 2025 sales target from 5.5 million units to 4.6 million, with up to a million of those expected to come from overseas markets.
Read more: Global EV sales hit 10.7M in 2025 – Europe surges, US stalls
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The Chevy Equinox EV, or America’s most affordable EV with over 315 miles of range, is now even cheaper this month. Chevy is offering more chances to save this month on the electric Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado with new EV deals rolling out.
Chevy launches new EV deals with the tax credit expiring
After back-to-back record sales months in July and August, GM remained the number two seller of EVs in the US, behind Tesla.
The Chevy Equinox EV, or as GM calls it, “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV,” has been a smash hit. GM now expects it to be the third top-selling EV in the US this year, behind the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
After launching the lower-priced LT trim late last year, starting at just $34,995, the Equinox drove Chevy to become the fastest-growing domestic EV brand in the US.
As one of the few electric vehicles with a starting price under $35,000, it’s no wonder the Equinox EV is flying off the lot.
With new deals this month ahead of the $7,500 deferal EV tax credit deadline, the Chevy Equinox EV is even more affordable. In fact, all of Chevy’s electric vehicles are currently heavily discounted.
Chevy is offering up to $3,000 customer cash bonus on select 2025 Equinox EV models with leases starting at just $249 per month. The deal is for a 24-month lease with $3,049 due at signing and includes the loyalty or conquest bonus.
Alternatively, Chevy is offering the $7,500 federal EV tax credit plus 0% APR financing for 60 months when financing any 2025 electric vehicle, including the Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado. If you’re a Costco member, you can save an extra $1,250.
| 2025 Chevy Equinox EV trim | Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range | Monthly lease Price (September 2025) |
| LT FWD | $34,995 | 319 miles | $249 |
| LT AWD | $40,295 | 307 miles | $319 |
| RS FWD | $45,790 | 319 miles | $324 |
| RS AWD | $49,090 | 307 miles | $367 |
The 2025 Chevy Equinox and Blazer EVs also have a $1,250 purchase allowance for eligible trade-ins, while the 2025 Silverado gets a $250 bonus.
The new 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV is available with a cash bonus of up to $2,000 or 1.9% APR financing for 36 months.
If you’re looking for something a little bigger and more powerful, the 2025 Chevy Blazer EV is available with up to $3,500 in bonus cash with leases starting as low as $369 per month. That offer is also a 24-month lease, but with $3,149 due at signing.
For pickup fans, the Chevy Silverado EV is even more impressive than it looks, with up to 493 miles of range, a towing capacity of up to 12,500 lbs, and the ability to hit 0 to 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds.
The 2025 Chevrolet Silverado is available with up to $4,000 in bonus cash right now. Chevy is listing the 2025 Silverado EV Crew Cab 4WD LT trim for leases as low as $749 for 24 months with $5,209 due at signing.
Chevy’s electric vehicles are not only some of the most affordable to lease, but they are also the cheapest to insure. According to a recent study from Insurify, the Chevy Blazer and Equinox are the most affordable EVs to insure.
Chevy’s deals are set to end on September 30, when the federal EV tax credit is also set to expire. Despite record sales, GM said it expects a slowdown later this year as the “irrational discounts” come to an end.
Are you looking to grab the savings while they are still available? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to find Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EV models in your area.
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