Alpaca, a broker of equities and cryptocurrencies, has announced a strategic partnership with SBI Group, a Japanese financial services company.

The partnership between Alpaca and SBI Group combines the strengths of the two entities. SBI Group is known as the second largest brokerage firm in Japan by revenue, with more than 400 billion yen in assets under management for venture capital and private equity investments. This collaboration is a major step forward for both companies in their mission to accelerate new product innovation and create value for their clients.

$15 million investment in Alpaca

SBI has made a significant $15 million investment in Alpaca. This financial commitment reflects SBI's confidence in Alpaca's vision and highlights their determination to support the growth of this platform that puts developers first.

Shohei Yamada, Deputy General Manager of SBI Investment, added: "Our investment in Alpaca aligns seamlessly with our strategic vision to demonstrate our commitment to accelerated product innovation and value creation for our customers. We are impressed with the growth and speed of innovation Alpaca has demonstrated and look forward to supporting their continued expansion in the Asian region."

The strategic partnership opens the door for Alpaca's expansion into corporate financial institutions and facilitates the clearing and execution of U.S. securities in Asia. This could facilitate access to investment services in U.S. equities for our clients.

Yoshi Yokokawa, co-founder and CEO of Alpaca, shared his enthusiasm about the collaboration: "We are delighted to welcome SBI as a strategic partner and strengthen our presence in the Asian region. This partnership will significantly accelerate our mission to make financial services accessible to all."

"The strategic partnership with SBI allows us to expand our presence in the Asian region, accelerate our services to corporate financial institutions and launch products and services tailored to local needs. We are tremendously excited."

Global support for the platform

Alpaca's API brokerage platform for developers has gained global recognition and support. It has raised more than $120 million in funding and received support from prominent investors such as Portage Ventures, Spark Capital, Tribe Capital, Social Leverage, Horizons Ventures, Unbound, Eldridge, Positive Sum, Elefund and Y Combinator.

This partnership is timely, as Alpaca recently acquired a broker-dealer license from the Japan Financial Services Agency. This license allows Alpaca to offer comprehensive broker-dealer services to financial institutions and startups, making it easier to offer U.S. equity investment services to their clients.

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