A public debate over Robinhood Chain’s fee model has brought competing blockchain business strategies into focus, contrasting Solana’s low-cost network approach with Arbitrum’s app-chain revenue model. Robinhood Chain, launched July 1, 2026 as an Arbitrum Orbit-based L2 for tokenized U.S. stocks and perpetual contracts, saw average gas fees rise to about $0.40 in early September after daily fees reportedly exceeded millions of dollars. Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko criticized the model, arguing Robinhood could have offered users a near gas-free experience on Solana and should not profit from underlying congestion. Offchain Labs co-founder Steven Goldfeder defended the Arbitrum structure, saying Robinhood retains about 90% of gas revenue while 10% flows to the Arbitrum ecosystem, allowing it to operate as a “landlord” rather than a “renter.” The discussion expanded into a broader debate over blockchain sustainability, with industry participants arguing that lower gas fees alone are no longer sufficient. The dispute also renewed questions about Ethereum’s value capture, as Robinhood Chain settles to Ethereum while most fee revenue remains with Robinhood and the Arbitrum ecosystem.