Alpaca has completed the passporting of its regulated investment services across all 29 countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), giving fintech companies and financial institutions a single gateway to offer regulated investment products across Europe.
The expansion is made possible through Alpaca’s Spain-based entity, which is authorized by Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) framework. Together with its regulated UK business, the company can now provide localized investment infrastructure to a market of nearly 500 million people.
Alpaca has completed the European Economic Area (EEA) passporting process and we are now authorized to deliver regulated investment services across 29 European countries, through our Spain-based EEA hub.
For fintechs and financial institutions building investment products across… pic.twitter.com/rkmFpnAUmY
— Alpaca (@AlpacaHQ) July 7, 2026
The move allows businesses to access Alpaca’s API-based brokerage platform for account management, custody, and trading without seeking separate approvals in each European country. Alpaca said the milestone builds on its acquisition of WealthKernel and its European launch completed last year.
Crypto firms continue building regulated financial services
Although Alpaca offers stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, the expansion also strengthens its position in the digital asset sector. Many crypto companies are increasingly building regulated investment platforms that combine traditional securities with digital assets under a single licensed framework.
For businesses developing crypto investment products, working with a regulated infrastructure provider can reduce compliance hurdles while making it easier to serve customers across multiple jurisdictions.
Is one license enough for European expansion?
Instead of applying for separate investment licenses in every country, a company authorized in one European Economic Area member state can extend many of its regulated services across the region after completing the required notification process. This is one reason many fintech and crypto companies are choosing Europe as the passporting system under MiFID II.
Several companies have used this model to grow across Europe. eToro, Interactive Brokers, and Trading 212 all operate in multiple European markets through similar regulatory frameworks.
Alpaca’s latest approval follows the same path. Rather than securing separate licenses country by country, the company can now offer its investment infrastructure across 29 EEA markets through its regulated Spanish entity. That reduces the time and regulatory work needed to serve new customers, allowing partners to focus on launching products instead of repeating the licensing process in every market.
Alpaca signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Korea’s Eugene Investment & Securities to expand access to Korean equities for global investors through its brokerage infrastructure platform.
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