Alpaca WealthKernel Acquisition to Enter European Market

Alpaca has confirmed the completion of its acquisition of WealthKernel, marking its formal entry into the European market and the next phase of its global expansion strategy.

Following the deal, WealthKernel will operate under the name Alpaca Europe, giving the company a regulated brokerage and custody presence across both the UK and EU. This structure allows Alpaca to extend its infrastructure offering to financial institutions and fintech firms building investment products for European users.

The acquisition also supports the launch of Alpaca’s API-first equities trading services in Europe. Through a single integration, partners can now access cross-border investing capabilities, while Alpaca manages execution, custody, and settlement processes behind the scenes.

Alpaca WealthKernel Acquisition to Enter European Market

Built on WealthKernel’s regulatory and operational framework, Alpaca Europe includes UK and EU licenses alongside local brokerage infrastructure. This setup supports region-specific products such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). When combined with Alpaca’s U.S.-based, fully licensed brokerage infrastructure, the company now offers a unified system designed for firms operating across multiple regions.

Yoshi Yokokawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Alpaca, described the acquisition as a key milestone in simplifying global investing. He noted that combining U.S. infrastructure with European licensing reduces barriers for companies aiming to build and scale international investment platforms.

As part of the transition, Karan Shanmugarajah, CEO of WealthKernel, has been appointed CEO of Alpaca Europe. He will oversee regional operations, supported by the existing WealthKernel team, which now joins Alpaca to strengthen its regulatory and product expertise in Europe.

Alongside the acquisition, Alpaca has introduced equities trading in Europe, beginning with Germany’s Xetra exchange. The company plans to extend coverage to Euronext and the London Stock Exchange in the near future.

The expansion is backed by financial institutions, including BNP Paribas, which participated in Alpaca’s Series D round through its venture arm Opera Tech Ventures.

Alpaca currently supports trading infrastructure for hundreds of fintech firms worldwide. In the United States, it also holds a dominant position in tokenised equities, accounting for a large share of tokenised U.S. stocks and ETFs.

With operations now spanning the U.S. and Europe, and additional European markets in development, Alpaca is building a broader global investment infrastructure designed to support cross-border financial services.

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