Alpaca, a brokerage platform for stock and cryptocurrency trading, has announced a strategic partnership with SBI Group, a Japanese financial services firm. This collaboration holds the potential to reshape the financial landscape in Asia and introduce innovative products and services to the customer base.

A Strategic Partnership: Alpaca and SBI Group Join Forces

SBI Group, known for its status as the second-largest brokerage firm in Japan by revenue, boasts over 400 billion yen in assets under management for venture capital and private equity investments. The partnership signals a step forward for both companies in their mission to accelerate new product innovation and enhance value creation for end customers.

SBI has made a substantial investment of USD 15 million in Alpaca. This financial commitment reflects their confidence in Alpaca's vision and underscores their determination to support the expansion of this developer-first API brokerage platform.

Shohei Yamada, the Deputy General Manager of SBI Investment, echoed this sentiment: "Our investment in Alpaca directly aligns with our strategic vision to show our commitment to accelerate new product innovation and value creation for end customers. We are amazed by the growth and innovation velocity that Alpaca has shown and are excited to support their even further expansion in the Asian region."

Paving the Way for US Securities Trading in Asia

The strategic partnership facilitates Alpaca's expansion into enterprise financial institutions, paving the way for the clearing and execution of US securities in Asia. This development holds the promise of simplifying access to US stock investing services for end customers.

Yoshi Yokokawa, the Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: "We are thrilled to welcome SBI as our strategic partner and to deepen our footprint within the Asian region. This partnership will significantly accelerate our mission of opening financial services to everyone on the planet.”

“SBI’s strategic partner capital enables us to significantly increase our presence in the Asian region, accelerate serving enterprise financial institutions, and launch products and services optimized for local demands. We’re very excited to unlock this tremendous potential."

Alpaca's developer-first API brokerage platform has garnered global recognition and support. It has raised over $120 million in funding and secured backing from prominent investors like Portage Ventures, Spark Capital, Tribe Capital, Social Leverage, Horizons Ventures, Unbound, Eldridge, Positive Sum, Elefund, and Y Combinator.

This partnership has occurred at an opportune moment as Alpaca recently acquired a broker-dealer license under the Japan Financial Services Agency. With this license, Alpaca can provide comprehensive brokerage infrastructure for enterprise financial institutions and startups. It makes it easier for them to offer US stock investing services to their customers.

The partnership between Alpaca and SBI Group holds the potential to redefine the financial services industry in Asia. It opens new doors for innovation and financial accessibility for customers across the region.