AlpacaJapan

What AlpacaJapan does

Alpaca, legally AlpacaDB, Inc., is an API-first brokerage-as-a-service platform founded in 2015 by Yoshi Yokokawa (CEO) and Hitoshi Harada (CPO) and headquartered in Silicon Valley with a Delaware incorporation. The company exposes a unified set of trading, account and data interfaces — Trading API, Broker API, Market Data API, Connect (OAuth), FIX API and the 2025 MCP Server for AI agents — that sit on top of its own clearing and custody infrastructure operated through Alpaca Securities LLC (a FINRA-member, SIPC-member broker-dealer) and Alpaca Crypto LLC, with AlpacaX Crypto Ltd. anchoring international crypto coverage from the Bahamas.

The platform serves two overlapping customer sets: retail traders who interact through embedded partner apps, and fintechs, broker-dealers and institutions that integrate the APIs directly. Disclosed customer logos span crypto exchanges and platforms (eToro, Kraken, Bitget, Bitso), tokenization and DeFi names (Ondo Finance, Midas), regional financial institutions (SBI Holdings in Japan, GoTyme Bank) and a broader base of "hundreds of fintechs." Coverage extends to 5,000+ ETB US securities with 24/5 trading, multi-leg options and tokenized real-world assets via the Instant Tokenization Network, executed on infrastructure documented at ~1.5 ms order processing and 99.99% uptime.

Alpaca monetizes through a diversified, fee-light model: commission-free retail execution paired with revenue from securities lending, margin interest, Elite subscription, broker API and Connect OAuth usage, the High Yield Cash program, securities lending and crypto trading fees. Compliance posture is reinforced by FinCEN MSB registration, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II, supporting institutional onboarding and cross-border distribution through partnerships in Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Mexico and the Bahamas.

Name

AlpacaJapan

Legal name

AlpacaDB, Inc.

Website

https://alpaca.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alpaca is an API-first brokerage-as-a-service platform offering trading, account, market-data and FIX APIs, plus an MCP Server for AI agents, to fintechs, broker-dealers, institutions and retail traders via its FINRA-member broker-dealer and Bahamas-licensed crypto entity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brokerage API Platform

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)

akta.pro primary industry

BaaS Platforms & Sponsor Bank Enablement (FSAGALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Risk, Compliance & Controls for Embedded Finance (KYB/KYC/AML, Fraud, Disputes) (FSAGALAK)

Keywords

• Brokerage API
• Algorithmic trading
• Embedded investing
• Market data API
• Fintech infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions and Fees: Commission-free trading for retail customers through API. Broker API and authorized business partners may have different fee arrangements per the Brokerage Fee Schedule. Regulatory fees may apply.
2. Margin Interest: Interest charges on margin loans for long/short or market neutral strategies with up to 4X intraday and 2X overnight buying power
3. Elite Smart Router: Premium service for advanced algorithmic trading with Elite-specific features that may preclude commission-free trades
4. Securities Lending: Revenue from lending fully paid securities and borrow fees on Easy-to-Borrow (ETB) securities (5,000+ ETB securities available)
5. Crypto Trading Fees: Trading fees for cryptocurrency spot trading through Alpaca Crypto LLC
6. High Yield Cash Program: Competitive APY on uninvested USD cash balances with up to $2.5M FDIC sweep coverage, generating revenue through float

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Alpaca (legal name AlpacaDB, Inc.) operates an API-first brokerage platform that enables developers, fintech firms, broker-dealers, and individual traders to build and access commission-free US equities, options, and cryptocurrency trading through REST and streaming APIs. The platform provides self-custody-friendly account infrastructure, real-time and historical market data feeds, OAuth-based account connectivity, and FIX protocol access for institutional clients.

Product overview

Alpaca offers a unified API-first platform for stock, options, and cryptocurrency trading. The core portfolio consists of Trading API (algorithmic trading with commission-free equity/options), Broker API (end-to-end brokerage infrastructure for fintechs), Market Data API (real-time and historical data streams), Connect API (OAuth-based app integration), and FIX API (institutional FIX 4.2 protocol). The platform includes AI-powered MCP Server enabling natural language trading through Claude, ChatGPT, and IDE integrations; Elite add-on for advanced algo trading with smart routing; and TradingView partnership for charting. Recent launches include Instant Tokenization Network (tokenized equities), High Yield Cash (FDIC-insured yield), Multi-Leg Options (spread strategies), 24/5 Trading, and Fully Paid Securities Lending.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alpaca Clearing: DBA name for Alpaca Securities LLC, providing securities brokerage and clearing services

Products and services

• Trading API REST and WebSocket APIs enabling commission-free trading of US equities, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies, with paper trading and live account support. Designed for individual algorithmic traders, developers, and fintech applications.
• Broker API White-label brokerage infrastructure for fintechs, broker-dealers, and enterprises to offer retail investment accounts (cash, margin, crypto) under their own brand, including KYC, ACH, funding, and reconciliation.
• Market Data API Real-time and historical market data API delivering SIP and consolidated pricing, news, and corporate actions for US equities, options, and cryptocurrencies to traders and applications.
• Connect API (OAuth) OAuth-based API enabling third-party applications to link to end-user Alpaca brokerage accounts with read or trade permissions, used for account aggregation, robo-advisors, and third-party tool integrations.
• FIX API FIX protocol gateway providing institutional clients, prop trading firms, and broker-dealers with low-latency order entry, execution reports, and drop-copy functionality.
• MCP Server Model Context Protocol server that exposes Alpaca's trading, account, and market data capabilities to AI agents and LLM-based applications for autonomous or assisted trading workflows.
• Alpaca Elite Subscription-based premium tier offering active traders and developers enhanced support, higher API rate limits, advanced order types, and research tools beyond the standard free API tier.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5ms order processing speed
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

AI capability5 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TradingViewcoreTechnology or IntegrationBest-in-class charting and trading platform integration, allowing TradingView users to connect their Alpaca accounts for trading.
• QuantConnectcoreTechnology or IntegrationEnd-to-end quantitative trading platform integration with Alpaca's trading API.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Interactive Brokers: Interactive Brokers is the dominant institutional and active-trader broker-dealer globally, offering IBKR APIs (Client Portal API, TWS API) and the recently launched IBKR Invest API. It competes with Alpaca for algo traders, prop firms, and broker-API customers, but operates a much broader, multi-asset brokerage with deeper capital and institutional client base.
• Robinhood: Robinhood is the leading US commission-free retail broker and a competitor to Alpaca for self-directed retail traders. While Robinhood is primarily a direct-to-consumer app, it has begun offering institutional/crypto infrastructure that overlaps with Alpaca's retail trading API.
• TradeStation: TradeStation is an established online broker for active and algo traders, offering APIs, FIX connectivity, and futures/equities/options trading. It targets a similar sophisticated-trader and hedge-fund/prop-firm customer base to Alpaca.
• Charles Schwab (Schwab API): Charles Schwab is a large incumbent broker-dealer that has launched Schwab API / Institutional services for advisors and fintechs. As a much larger balance-sheet player, it represents an incumbent alternative for the broker-API segment.

Direct peers

• Tradier: Tradier is the closest direct peer — an API-first brokerage-as-a-service platform offering equities, options, and crypto trading APIs to fintechs, robo-advisors, and broker-dealers. It targets the same Broker API customer base as Alpaca and is frequently cited as the alternative for embedded brokerage.
• DriveWealth: DriveWealth provides brokerage-as-a-service infrastructure for fintechs and digital wallets globally, particularly focused on fractional US equities and emerging-market distribution. Like Alpaca, it powers investing features inside partner apps (e.g., Dime-style customers) and competes for embedded-finance broker deals.
• Apex Clearing: Apex Clearing (now part of Apex Fintech Solutions) provides clearing and custody infrastructure for broker-dealers, fintechs, and digital advisors. As a self-clearing competitor to Alpaca Securities, it competes for the same BaaS/embedded-broker customers.
• Plaid: Plaid is the dominant fintech infrastructure layer for account connectivity and data, serving broker-dealers, neobanks, and fintech apps. While Plaid focuses on connectivity rather than execution, it competes with Alpaca for the same fintech developer buyer and is frequently part of the same embedded-finance stack.

Emerging players

• Kraken (Kraken Pro / API): Kraken is a major crypto exchange whose trading API overlaps with Alpaca's crypto offering, and which Alpaca already counts as a customer. As crypto and tokenized-equities converge, Kraken's retail/pro API is an adjacent competitor for digital-asset trading infrastructure.

Regional players

• Bitstamp: Bitstamp is a regulated crypto exchange with API services that overlaps with Alpaca's crypto and tokenization business. It is more focused on European and institutional crypto markets and competes for tokenization and crypto-broker-API customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alpacajpn
• GitHubgithub.com/alpacahq
• Facebookfacebook.com/alpacahq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/9300556

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors15 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AlpacaJapan