Robinhood Markets vs SoFi: Founders, CEOs and History
Robinhood Markets was founded in 2013 by Vlad Tenev, Baiju Bhatt and is led by Vlad Tenev. SoFi was founded in 2011 by Mike Cagney, Dan Macklin, James Finnigan and is led by Anthony Noto.
Company facts
Robinhood Markets
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Menlo Park, California
- Current CEO
- Vlad Tenev
- Employees
- 2,900
SoFi
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA
- Current CEO
- Anthony Noto
- Employees
- 6,100
Founders
Robinhood Markets
Vlad Tenev
Vlad Tenev co-founded Robinhood in 2013 and has been sole CEO since November 2020; he is also chairman.
Baiju Bhatt
Baiju Bhatt co-founded Robinhood in 2013 and was co-CEO with Vlad Tenev until November 2020, when he became Chief Creative Officer and focused on product and design.
SoFi
Mike Cagney
Mike Cagney co-founded SoFi in 2011 while a Sloan Fellow at Stanford and served as CEO until September 2017, when he stepped down amid workplace-culture allegations. He later founded blockchain lender Figure Technologies.
Dan Macklin
Dan Macklin is a co-founder of SoFi and worked on early business development as the company expanded its alumni-funded student loan model beyond Stanford.
James Finnigan
James Finnigan is a co-founder of SoFi, part of the four-person Stanford team that launched the alumni-funded student loan refinancing model in 2011.
Ian Brady
Ian Brady is a co-founder of SoFi, part of the Stanford team that started the company in 2011.
CEOs and their tenures
Robinhood Markets
- Vlad Tenev2013–present
Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under Tenev, Robinhood moved from a $541 million net loss in 2023 to $1.883 billion of net income on $4.473 billion of revenue in 2025.
Source - Baiju Bhatt2013–2020
Co-founder and former co-CEO
Shared the CEO role with Vlad Tenev until November 2020, then served as Chief Creative Officer until 2024.
Source - Shiv Verma2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
Succeeded long-time CFO Jason Warnick in 2025.
Source
SoFi
- Chris Lapointe
Chief Financial Officer
Oversees financial reporting and guidance, including the raised 2026 adjusted net revenue outlook of $4.75-$4.85B.
Source - Mike Cagney2011–2017
Co-Founder and Former CEO
Co-founded SoFi and led it from 2011 until stepping down in September 2017.
Source - Anthony Noto2018–present
Chief Executive Officer
CEO since 2018. Led the Galileo and Technisys acquisitions, the 2021 listing, the 2022 bank charter and the move to GAAP profitability; SoFi reported $3.61B FY2025 revenue net of interest expense.
Source
Timeline: Robinhood Markets and SoFi side by side
2011SoFi
Company founded
Mike Cagney, Dan Macklin, James Finnigan and Ian Brady founded Social Finance at Stanford GSB to refinance student loans with alumni capital.
2013Robinhood Markets
Robinhood is founded
Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt found Robinhood with a mission to democratize access to investing.
2015Robinhood Markets
Mobile app launches
Robinhood launches commission-free stock trading through a simple mobile brokerage app.
2017SoFi
CEO Mike Cagney steps down
Cagney resigned in September 2017 amid allegations about workplace culture.
2018Robinhood Markets
Robinhood Crypto launches
Robinhood expands into crypto trading, adding a major cyclical revenue driver.
2018SoFi
Anthony Noto named CEO
Former Twitter COO Anthony Noto became CEO in 2018.
2020SoFi
Galileo acquisition
SoFi acquired payments infrastructure company Galileo for about $1.2B.
2021Robinhood Markets
GameStop restrictions and IPO
Robinhood faces scrutiny during the meme-stock trading episode and later goes public on Nasdaq.
2021SoFi
Public listing via SPAC
SoFi began trading on Nasdaq as SOFI on June 1, 2021 after merging with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V.
2022SoFi
National bank charter and Technisys
SoFi closed the Golden Pacific Bancorp acquisition and launched SoFi Bank, N.A., then acquired Technisys for about $1.1B in stock.
2023Robinhood Markets
X1 acquisition adds card capability
Robinhood acquires X1, helping build the Robinhood Gold Card strategy.
2023SoFi
First GAAP-profitable quarter
SoFi reported positive GAAP net income in Q4 2023.
2024Robinhood Markets
Robinhood Gold Card launches
Robinhood launches the Gold Card, built on technology from its 2023 X1 acquisition.
2024SoFi
First full profitable year
FY2024 revenue net of interest expense was $2.67B and net income was $499M, helped by a tax benefit.
2025Robinhood Markets
TradePMR and Bitstamp expand product reach
Robinhood uses acquisitions to expand advisory infrastructure and crypto exchange capability.
2025Robinhood Markets
Revenue reaches $4.473B
Robinhood reports FY2025 total net revenues of $4.473B and net income of $1.883B.
2025Robinhood Markets
Joins the S&P 500
Robinhood is added to the S&P 500 index in September 2025.
2025SoFi
Revenue passes $3.6B
FY2025 revenue net of interest expense rose about 35% to $3.61B, with $481M net income.
2026Robinhood Markets
Q1 revenue of $1.07 billion
Robinhood reports Q1 2026 total net revenues of $1.07 billion, up 15%, as crypto revenue falls.
2026Robinhood Markets
10% workforce reduction
In June 2026 Robinhood cuts about 290 roles to flatten management layers.
2026Robinhood Markets
Record Q2 revenue of $1.31 billion
Q2 2026 revenue rises 32% to $1.31 billion, net income reaches $573 million, and funded customers hit 28.4 million.
2026SoFi
Record Q2 and SoFiUSD rollout
Q2 2026 adjusted net revenue reached $1.2B with 15.8M members; SoFi launched the SoFiUSD stablecoin for members and Mastercard settlement.
Acquisitions
Robinhood Markets
- TradePMR2025$300M
- Bitstamp2025$200M
- X12023$95M
- Say Technologies2021$140M
- MarketSnacks2019Undisclosed
Questions about Robinhood Markets vs SoFi
Who is the CEO of Robinhood Markets, Inc. and SoFi Technologies, Inc.?
Robinhood Markets, Inc. is led by Vlad Tenev and SoFi Technologies, Inc. is led by Anthony Noto. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Robinhood Markets, Inc. founded vs SoFi Technologies, Inc.?
SoFi Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2011 — 2 years before Robinhood Markets, Inc., which was founded in 2013. SoFi Technologies, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Robinhood Markets, Inc..
How many employees does Robinhood Markets, Inc. have compared to SoFi Technologies, Inc.?
Robinhood Markets, Inc. employs approximately 2,900 people, while SoFi Technologies, Inc. employs approximately 6,100. SoFi Technologies, Inc. has the larger workforce at 6,100 employees, compared to Robinhood Markets, Inc.'s 2,900. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Robinhood Markets, Inc. and SoFi Technologies, Inc. headquartered?
Both Robinhood Markets, Inc. and SoFi Technologies, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Robinhood Markets, Inc. and SoFi Technologies, Inc.?
Robinhood Markets, Inc. was founded by Vlad Tenev, Baiju Bhatt. SoFi Technologies, Inc. was founded by Mike Cagney, Dan Macklin, James Finnigan, Ian Brady.
Which company has a longer operating history — Robinhood Markets, Inc. or SoFi Technologies, Inc.?
SoFi Technologies, Inc. has been operating for approximately 15 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Robinhood Markets, Inc. has been in operation for around 13 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Robinhood Markets vs SoFi overview