Alpaca Accelerates European Expansion with WealthKernel Acquisition
Alpaca, a leading provider of securities APIs, announced the completion of its acquisition of European fintech company WealthKernel. This move significantly strengthens Alpaca's presence in the European market, enabling the provision of securities and custody services in the UK and EU, and expanding its offering to include European stock trading via API.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 19:09 (8h 38m after Collected)
AlpacaDB Inc., a global leader in providing securities infrastructure APIs, and its group companies (hereinafter "Alpaca"), announced the completion of the acquisition of WealthKernel, a European fintech company and brokerage firm. This acquisition enables the provision of securities and custody services in the UK and EU, marking Alpaca's full-scale entry into the European market. Simultaneously, Alpaca has launched API-based European stock trading services, in addition to its existing US stock offerings. Partner firms and individual investors can now access assets in more countries using a single infrastructure through Alpaca.
Alpaca is a fintech company founded in the United States by Japanese co-founders Takeshi Yokokawa and Hitoshi Harada, holding securities licenses in multiple countries including the US and Japan. It provides securities infrastructure APIs for stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, and crypto assets to over 300 financial institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. Alpaca also leads the industry in the tokenization of US stocks and ETFs, holding a 94% share in the custody of underlying assets.
Following the completion of the acquisition, WealthKernel will operate as "Alpaca Europe," leveraging its UK and EU securities and custody licenses to offer investment services. Alpaca Europe possesses the infrastructure to support tax-advantaged Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) in the UK, anticipating an expansion of wealth management services. By combining these with its existing US asset securities infrastructure and services, Alpaca Europe will provide more comprehensive access to fintech companies and financial institutions expanding investment services in Europe.
Takeshi Yokokawa, Co-founder and CEO of Alpaca, stated:
"The completion of the WealthKernel acquisition is a significant milestone in Alpaca's European expansion. By combining our US-based securities infrastructure, including self-clearing, with our licensed operations in the UK and EU, we can seamlessly support the building and expansion of cross-regional investment services."
Furthermore, Karan Shanmugarajah, the former CEO of WealthKernel, has been appointed CEO of Alpaca Europe, overseeing business operations in the European region. The WealthKernel team has also joined Alpaca, strengthening the company's regulatory compliance capabilities, operations, and product development in the region. Karan Shanmugarajah commented:
"This initiative is a major step not only for Alpaca but also for the entire European investment ecosystem. By combining localized regulatory expertise with global API infrastructure, partner firms can build and deploy investment services more quickly and efficiently."
Alpaca has also commenced providing European market stock trading infrastructure, along with execution, custody, and settlement services. It has begun handling shares listed on Xetra, the electronic trading system of the German Stock Exchange, with plans to support Euronext and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the future. Partner firms can utilize Alpaca's API to offer investment services spanning multiple markets.
Alpaca's European expansion is supported by major European financial institutions, including BNP Paribas' venture arm Opera Tech Ventures, notably through its Series D funding round in January 2026. Vincent Baillin, Managing Director and Co-Head of Opera Tech Ventures, commented:
"We are delighted to support Alpaca's business expansion in Europe. We look forward to Alpaca contributing to the provision of advanced and scalable investment infrastructure in Europe."
Alpaca is further strengthening its foundation for building a global investment platform by establishing regulatory-compliant securities and business foundations in both the US and Europe, and by commencing the handling of European stocks.
About Alpaca
Alpaca is a fintech company with securities registrations in the US, Japan, Europe, and other regions, developing and providing securities infrastructure for trading stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, and crypto assets. It serves over 300 financial institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide, supporting over 10 million securities accounts. Alpaca has raised over $320 million (approximately 49 billion JPY) to date from top-tier global investors.
Alpaca is a fintech company founded in the United States by Japanese co-founders Takeshi Yokokawa and Hitoshi Harada, holding securities licenses in multiple countries including the US and Japan. It provides securities infrastructure APIs for stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, and crypto assets to over 300 financial institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. Alpaca also leads the industry in the tokenization of US stocks and ETFs, holding a 94% share in the custody of underlying assets.
Following the completion of the acquisition, WealthKernel will operate as "Alpaca Europe," leveraging its UK and EU securities and custody licenses to offer investment services. Alpaca Europe possesses the infrastructure to support tax-advantaged Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) in the UK, anticipating an expansion of wealth management services. By combining these with its existing US asset securities infrastructure and services, Alpaca Europe will provide more comprehensive access to fintech companies and financial institutions expanding investment services in Europe.
Takeshi Yokokawa, Co-founder and CEO of Alpaca, stated:
"The completion of the WealthKernel acquisition is a significant milestone in Alpaca's European expansion. By combining our US-based securities infrastructure, including self-clearing, with our licensed operations in the UK and EU, we can seamlessly support the building and expansion of cross-regional investment services."
Furthermore, Karan Shanmugarajah, the former CEO of WealthKernel, has been appointed CEO of Alpaca Europe, overseeing business operations in the European region. The WealthKernel team has also joined Alpaca, strengthening the company's regulatory compliance capabilities, operations, and product development in the region. Karan Shanmugarajah commented:
"This initiative is a major step not only for Alpaca but also for the entire European investment ecosystem. By combining localized regulatory expertise with global API infrastructure, partner firms can build and deploy investment services more quickly and efficiently."
Alpaca has also commenced providing European market stock trading infrastructure, along with execution, custody, and settlement services. It has begun handling shares listed on Xetra, the electronic trading system of the German Stock Exchange, with plans to support Euronext and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the future. Partner firms can utilize Alpaca's API to offer investment services spanning multiple markets.
Alpaca's European expansion is supported by major European financial institutions, including BNP Paribas' venture arm Opera Tech Ventures, notably through its Series D funding round in January 2026. Vincent Baillin, Managing Director and Co-Head of Opera Tech Ventures, commented:
"We are delighted to support Alpaca's business expansion in Europe. We look forward to Alpaca contributing to the provision of advanced and scalable investment infrastructure in Europe."
Alpaca is further strengthening its foundation for building a global investment platform by establishing regulatory-compliant securities and business foundations in both the US and Europe, and by commencing the handling of European stocks.
About Alpaca
Alpaca is a fintech company with securities registrations in the US, Japan, Europe, and other regions, developing and providing securities infrastructure for trading stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, and crypto assets. It serves over 300 financial institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide, supporting over 10 million securities accounts. Alpaca has raised over $320 million (approximately 49 billion JPY) to date from top-tier global investors.