2025 was definitely Robinhood Markets' (HOOD 1.24%) year. It ended 2025 up more than 200%, capping off a three-year gain of 1,000%.
However, after a hitting a high in October, it's been dropping, and it's down 23% over the past three months. Investors have several concerns, including the company's dependence on cryptocurrency and its high valuation, so now may not be the right time to buy shares.
If you're looking for an excellent financial stock to buy in 2026, SoFi Technologies (SOFI 0.16%) is worth a look. Here's why.
SoFi hasn't been a slouch, either
SoFi reported robust growth last year, and it's becoming more profitable at scale. It created new records for customer add-ons for each of the first three quarters, with more than 900,000 new accounts in the 2025 third quarter.
These are primarily high-quality customers who are starting out as professionals and come with years of growth opportunities. Indeed, 90% of SoFi Money deposits are direct deposit, which means they're likely coming out of customer salary checks, and as this younger cohort moves in their careers, those deposits are likely to increase.
Consider SoFi's asset growth over the past five years versus the five largest U.S. banks by assets, which include JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and U.S. Bank:
SOFI Total Assets (Quarterly) data by YCharts
And SoFi still has a fraction of these banks' assets, giving it a great growth runway.
Management is aiming to keep the momentum through a varied growth strategy that goes beyond attracting new customers. It's constantly adding new products and services to its platform, and it's hoping to cross-sell new products to its existing consumer base as customers age and their financial needs increase.
NASDAQ: SOFI
Key Data Points
Why SoFi's trajectory is less risky
SoFi stock gained 70% in 2025. That's a strong gain that still outperformed the market, even if it weren't quite as superb as Robinhood stock. However, it's a safer gain because its model is less susceptible to market volatility, and it has less exposure to cryptocurrency.
SoFi's growth is coming from more reliable revenue streams, even though it also embraces innovation. It's much more than a trading platform, and it appeals to a much broader swath of the population: people who are looking for easy-to-use, digital financial services. That's why I recommend it as an excellent financial stock to buy in 2026.
