The basic steps to sell crypto on Robinhood

To sell cryptocurrency on Robinhood, open the app, tap the crypto you own, tap the sell button, enter how much you want to sell, review the price and fees, and confirm the sale. The cash from the sale lands in your Robinhood account immediately, though you may have a holding period before you can withdraw it to your bank.

Robinhood charges no commission on crypto trades, but the price you receive is slightly lower than the mid-market price — this difference, called the spread, is how the platform makes money on crypto sales. The spread varies by which cryptocurrency you're selling and market conditions at the time.

You can sell a full position or a partial one. If you own 0.5 Bitcoin, you can sell all of it or just 0.2 Bitcoin and keep the rest. The process takes seconds to complete once you confirm.

Key Takeaways

  • Robinhood charges no commission on crypto sales, but you pay an invisible fee through the spread between the price you see and the price you actually receive.
  • Cash from a crypto sale appears in your Robinhood account right away, but you may not be able to withdraw it to your bank for one to five business days depending on your account type.
  • You can sell any amount of crypto you own, from your entire position down to a small fraction.
  • The spread Robinhood takes varies by cryptocurrency and changes throughout the day as market prices move.

Where to find the sell button

Open the Robinhood app and go to the Investing tab at the bottom. Tap Crypto, then find the cryptocurrency you want to sell in your holdings list. Tap on it to open the detail page for that coin.

On the detail page, you'll see a green Sell button at the bottom. Tap it. If you don't see a Sell button, you may not own any of that crypto, or your account may have a restriction preventing sales at that moment (this is rare and usually temporary).

Entering the amount and reviewing the price

After you tap Sell, Robinhood shows you a screen where you enter how much crypto you want to sell. You can type a dollar amount or a quantity of the coin itself. For example, you could sell $500 worth of Bitcoin or 0.01 Bitcoin — Robinhood converts between the two automatically.

Below the amount field, you'll see the price per unit and the total you'll receive. This price includes the spread. Robinhood updates this price in real time, so if you wait a few seconds, the number may change slightly as the market moves. Once you're ready, tap Review to see a summary before the sale goes through.

What happens after you confirm the sale

When you tap Confirm, the sale executes immediately. Your crypto balance drops, and the cash appears in your Robinhood account balance within seconds. You can see the transaction in your History tab.

The cash is now in your account, but you may not be able to withdraw it to your bank right away. Robinhood typically holds crypto sale proceeds for one to five business days before allowing a withdrawal. This is a standard industry practice, not unique to Robinhood. If you want to buy other investments with the cash, you can do that immediately — the hold only affects moving money out of Robinhood.

Understanding the spread and hidden costs

Robinhood's lack of commission doesn't mean the sale is free. The spread is the difference between the mid-market price (the true market price) and the price Robinhood gives you. If Bitcoin's mid-market price is $45,000 but Robinhood shows you $44,820, you're paying a $180 spread on a full coin.

The spread changes throughout the day and varies by coin. Bitcoin and Ethereum, which trade in high volume, typically have smaller spreads. Smaller or less-traded cryptocurrencies have wider spreads, meaning you lose more on each sale. You can't avoid the spread on Robinhood, but you can compare it to other platforms if you're selling a large amount.

Selling during market hours versus after-hours

Robinhood allows crypto sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Unlike stocks, cryptocurrency markets don't close, so you can sell at 3 a.m. on a Sunday if you want to. The spread may be wider during very quiet times (late night, early morning) because fewer people are trading, but you can still execute the sale.

If you're selling a large position and want the tightest spread, selling during peak trading hours — roughly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays — usually gives you a better price. But the difference is often small unless you're moving tens of thousands of dollars.

Selling if you have a margin account

If you have Robinhood Gold (a paid subscription that gives you margin borrowing), the sale process is the same. Your crypto sale proceeds count toward your buying power immediately, so you could theoretically sell and buy something else in the same second. The holding period before you can withdraw to your bank still applies, but you can move money around within Robinhood right away.

If you're using margin and have borrowed money, selling crypto doesn't automatically pay down your margin debt — the cash just sits in your account. You'll need to manually pay back the margin loan if that's your goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay taxes when I sell crypto on Robinhood?

Yes. Selling crypto is a taxable event. If you sell for more than you paid, you owe capital gains tax. Robinhood sends you a tax form (Form 8949) at the end of the year showing all your sales. You report this on your tax return. Losses can offset gains. Keep your own records of purchase price and sale price for each transaction.

What if I want to sell but the price is dropping fast?

You can't set a stop-loss or limit order on Robinhood crypto like you can with stocks. You have to sell at the current market price whenever you tap Confirm. If the market is moving quickly, the price you see when you enter the amount may be different from the price you get when you confirm — Robinhood will show you the new price and ask you to confirm again before the sale goes through.

Can I cancel a crypto sale after I confirm it?

No. Once you tap Confirm, the sale is final. The transaction executes in seconds and cannot be undone. If you change your mind, you would have to buy the crypto back at the new market price, which could be higher or lower.

Why is my spread so wide on a small altcoin?

Robinhood widens the spread on cryptocurrencies with lower trading volume because they're riskier for the platform to hold. Bitcoin and Ethereum have tight spreads because millions of dollars trade every minute. Smaller coins may have spreads of 2 to 5 percent or more. If the spread is too wide, you may want to hold the coin or move it to an exchange with lower fees.

Can I sell crypto if my account is restricted?

Robinhood sometimes restricts accounts temporarily — usually after a large deposit or withdrawal, or if there's unusual activity. If you can't sell, contact Robinhood support. The restriction is usually lifted within a few business days. In rare cases, accounts are restricted for compliance reasons, and you may need to provide additional information.