Your Robinhood buying power is $0 when your cash is pending, unsettled, reserved for an order, or unavailable because of an account restriction, deficit, or margin requirement. Your portfolio can still show a balance because investments are not the same as spendable cash.
The Most Common Reasons Robinhood Shows $0 Buying Power
| Possible reason | What is happening | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pending bank deposit | Your deposit has not settled, or you do not have Instant Deposit access | Check the transfer status and estimated availability date |
| Unsettled stock or options sale | A cash account cannot reuse the proceeds until the trade settles | Wait one trading day after the sale |
| Pending or open buy orders | Robinhood has reserved cash for submitted orders | Review and cancel orders you no longer want |
| Transfer reversal or negative balance | A bank transfer failed, was reversed, or created a deficit | Cover the deficit and resolve the transfer issue |
| Margin call or account deficit | Your account does not meet Robinhood's margin requirements | Check Margin status and follow the required steps |
| Trading restriction | Robinhood has blocked purchases because of verification, fraud review, outdated information, an account levy, or another issue | Read the in-app alert and contact Robinhood Support |
| Wrong account or asset type | Stock, crypto, and futures buying power may appear in separate accounts | Confirm that you are viewing the account used for the trade |
1. Your Bank Deposit Is Still Pending
A standard bank transfer into Robinhood can take up to five business days to become available. Instant Deposits may provide immediate access to part of a deposit, but Robinhood does not approve every transfer for Instant Deposit access.
Robinhood may withhold Instant Deposit access because of:
- A transfer flagged by a system check
- Previous reversed or canceled transfers
- Limited deposit history
- A negative balance or account deficit
- An Instant Deposit limit
- Recent account or risk-profile changes
- Market volatility
If you used Instant Deposit funds and the later transfer was reversed, Robinhood can deduct the reversed amount from your buying power. That can create an account deficit.
To check the transfer, open Account -> History and select the pending deposit. Robinhood shows the transfer status and estimated date when the funds should become available.
2. You Sold Stock or Options in a Cash Account
Robinhood stock and options trades generally take one trading day to settle. A Robinhood cash account cannot use unsettled proceeds from a stock or options sale to make another purchase.
For example, you might sell shares and then try to buy another stock immediately. The sale proceeds can appear in your account value before they appear in your usable buying power.
Margin accounts can generally use unsettled stock and options proceeds. Margin requirements, account deficits, and maintenance calls can still reduce or eliminate buying power.
3. Your Cash Is Reserved for Pending Orders
An open buy order can reserve the cash needed for execution. Your remaining buying power may therefore show as $0 even though the purchase has not gone through.
Robinhood also reserves an additional amount for some queued market orders placed outside regular market hours. It says it may reserve 5% of buying power for certain queued market orders, and that amount can change during extreme volatility.
Open your orders or activity section and review pending orders. Cancel an order only if you are sure it has not executed and you no longer want it.
4. Your Robinhood Account Has a Deficit or Margin Call
A margin account can show $0 buying power when it falls below its maintenance requirement or has a negative balance. This can happen after:
- A decline in investment value
- A reversed bank transfer
- An options assignment
- Margin interest or account fees
- A portfolio value below Robinhood's required minimum
Robinhood says customers using margin generally need at least $2,000 in portfolio value to borrow on margin. A margin call or deficit in one individual margin account can also limit buying power across other individual margin accounts.
Go to Investing -> Buying power -> Margin status. Check your maintenance requirement, portfolio value, buffer, and any deficit. You may need to deposit settled funds or close positions to restore buying power. Robinhood may liquidate positions if you do not resolve the deficit.
5. Robinhood Restricted Your Account
Robinhood may block new purchases when an account is restricted. Its examples include:
- Bank transfer reversals
- Incorrect or outdated account information
- Fraud inquiries
- Account levies
- Compliance restrictions
Robinhood may ask you to cover a negative balance or provide more documentation before it removes the restriction.
If you cannot buy stocks or crypto, the restriction may affect your investing account and both services.
6. You Are Checking the Wrong Buying-Power Balance
Robinhood uses separate accounts for different products. Stock and options trading use the Robinhood Financial investing account. Crypto and futures trading use separate accounts. Buying power in one account may not be available for a trade in another.
Margin buying power also cannot be used to purchase crypto because crypto is non-marginable. Crypto purchases require enough cash in the account used for crypto trading.
7. You Are Trying to Trade Options With Unsettled Deposit Funds
Robinhood can limit options trading when your available funds come from an Instant Deposit. Options trading may remain restricted until the deposit becomes available because Instant Deposit funds have not fully settled. The deposit can take up to five business days.
If stock buying power is available but options buying power is $0, the problem may be unsettled cash rather than a restriction on the entire account.
What to Check in Robinhood Right Now
- Open Account -> Buying power and confirm which account you are viewing.
- Check Account -> History for pending deposits, reversals, withdrawals, or deficits.
- Review open and queued orders that may be reserving cash.
- If you use margin, open Margin status and look for a call or deficit.
- If you recently sold stock or options in a cash account, wait one trading day for settlement.
- If a standard deposit is pending, allow up to five business days.
- If the estimated availability date has passed and buying power is still $0, contact Robinhood Support through the app.
Bottom Line
Start with your most recent account activity. A recent deposit points to pending funds or missing Instant Deposit access. A recent sale in a cash account points to unsettled proceeds. If neither happened, check open orders, transfer reversals, deficits, margin status, and account restrictions.