Robinhood's operating data for May 2026 were released, providing a precise glimpse into retail investor behavior.
The public isn't just returning to the market, they are returning with everything they have and high leverage:
Total platform assets surged by 48% year-over-year, reaching $377 billion.
In May alone, net deposits of $5.6 billion were recorded (19% annual growth).
Stock trading volume reached $315 billion - a 27% jump month-over-month and 75% compared to May last year.
But the real drama lies in leveraged mechanisms and speculation.
Margin (the credit customers take to trade) surged by 117% year-over-year compared to May last year, reaching $19.5 billion.
Meanwhile, money is seeking new thrills and rapidly shifting towards prediction markets:
Event contract trading volume exploded to 3.9 billion contracts, compared to just 0.3 billion in May 2025.
These data indicate one clear thing:
Retail investors are deep, deep in the game - and Robinhood is fully leveraging it.