> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hooded.cash/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hooded.cash/overview/readme.md).

# Introduction

**Private-by-default banking — the non-custodial account for humans and their AI agents on Robinhood Chain.**

***

HoodedCash is a crypto neobank where transfer amounts stay confidential, settlement lands in under a second, and you hold your own keys the entire time. Addresses are visible on-chain. Amounts are not.

Every other financial product forces a trade-off. Traditional banks see your entire transaction history and share it with processors and advertisers. Public blockchains broadcast every balance and transfer to anyone who cares to look. HoodedCash takes a third path: your activity settles on Robinhood Chain where anyone can verify it happened, but only you and the counterparty can see how much moved.

That same account works for a person getting paid in USDG and for an AI agent settling a compute bill at three in the morning. Agents hold their own wallets, operate under spend policies you define, and show up in your transaction feed like anything else.

***

## What makes HoodedCash different

|                  | HoodedCash                       | Typical crypto wallet | Traditional bank                            |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Transfer amounts | Encrypted by default             | Fully public          | Hidden from the public, visible to the bank |
| Custody          | Non-custodial, keys on-device    | Non-custodial         | Custodial                                   |
| Settlement       | Sub-second, on-chain             | Sub-second, on-chain  | 1-3 business days                           |
| Agent support    | Native accounts, spend policies  | Bolted-on API, if any | None                                        |
| Compliance       | Selective disclosure to auditors | N/A                   | Full visibility to the institution          |
| Onboarding       | Passkey, no seed phrase required | Seed phrase           | Application and review                      |

***

## Built on Robinhood Chain

HoodedCash is built on its own confidential token contracts deployed on Robinhood Chain — Robinhood's AI-native Ethereum Layer 2 — which encrypt transfer amounts using zero-knowledge proofs while keeping sender and receiver addresses public. Combined with Robinhood Chain's 100ms block times and rollup-level fees, it's the first chain where private, instant, self-custodial payments are viable at consumer scale.

Accounts are denominated in USDG, with bridged USDC accepted too. ETH is held automatically as a gas reserve so you never think about network fees.

***

## Where to start

**New to HoodedCash?** → [How HoodedCash Works](/overview/how-hoodedcash-works.md)

**Sending or receiving money?** → [Creating Your Account](/using-hoodedcash/creating-your-account.md)

**Building or running an AI agent?** → [Agent Accounts Overview](/agents-and-automation/agent-accounts-overview.md)

**Integrating HoodedCash into your product?** → [API Reference](/api-reference/authentication.md)

**Want the technical detail on the privacy model?** → [Confidential Transfers Explained](/privacy-and-confidential-transfers/confidential-transfers.md)


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