Alpaca Completes EEA Passporting for 29 Countries, Expanding Fintech Infrastructure
Alpaca, a global leader in brokerage infrastructure APIs, has completed the process to passport its regulated investment services across 29 European Economic Area (EEA) countries through its Spain-based hub, according to a July 7, 2026, announcement. This move allows the company to offer regulated, localized financial services across the EEA under the MiFID II framework, leveraging its existing authorization from Spain’s Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV).
What is EEA Passporting and Why Does It Matter?
EEA passporting enables financial firms authorized in one member state to operate across the entire EEA without additional licensing. For Alpaca, this means fintechs and institutions in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and 25 other countries can now access its API-driven infrastructure through a single European entity. The process, which aligns with MiFID II regulations, eliminates the need for market-by-market authorizations, according to Alpaca’s statement.
“Completing EEA passporting is a major step in making Alpaca a truly regional infrastructure partner in Europe,” said Karan Shanmugarajah, CEO of Alpaca Europe. “Fintechs and financial institutions can access regulated, localized investment services through a single European entity.”
How Does This Expand Alpaca’s Reach?
The expansion reaches a market of nearly 500 million people across the EEA. Alpaca’s services now include account infrastructure, custody, and trading capabilities, which firms can deploy without pursuing separate authorizations market by market. This aligns with the company’s broader strategy to simplify cross-border investment product development.
“Our goal is to make regulated investment infrastructure easier to access, easier to integrate, and easier to scale across markets,” said Yoshi Yokokawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Alpaca. The company also maintains a regulated UK entity and U.S.-headquartered, fully licensed self-clearing brokerage infrastructure.
What Are the Implications for Fintechs and Financial Institutions?
For fintechs and financial institutions, the EEA passporting reduces the need to pursue separate authorizations market by market. By combining local regulatory expertise with Alpaca’s API-first technology, Alpaca aims to make it easier for partners to build, launch, and scale investment products across Europe. The milestone follows Alpaca’s European expansion last year, including its acquisition of WealthKernel and the launch of Alpaca in Europe.
“This milestone reflects our commitment to building secure, localized infrastructure for partners across Europe,” Yokokawa added. Alpaca currently supports over 10 million brokerage accounts across hundreds of fintechs and institutions in more than 40 countries.
How Does Alpaca’s Structure Support This Expansion?
Alpaca Europe is a trading name of WealthKernel Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 723719. WealthKernel Spain, A.V., S.L.U. is authorised and registered by the CNMV (No. 328), Madrid, Spain. Securities brokerage services are provided by Alpaca Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AlpacaDB, Inc.
The firm is backed by over $320 million in funding.
What’s Next for Alpaca’s European Strategy?
“With Alpaca’s investment services now passported across the EEA, alongside Alpaca’s licensed UK operations and U.S.-headquartered, fully licensed self-clearing brokerage infrastructure, we’re giving fintechs and financial institutions a stronger foundation to launch and scale cross-border investment products,” Yokokawa said.
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