Alpaca Markets has successfully closed a $135 million funding round led by Peak XV, aimed at developing AI agent trading infrastructure for both crypto and traditional markets. The funding round was finalized on July 16, 2026, reflecting a significant shift towards AI-driven trading strategies.
The brokerage API provider has experienced a surge in its monthly active users, nearly quadrupling in the past six months, as AI agents are increasingly recognized as vital trading participants across multiple asset classes including stocks and cryptocurrencies.
Investment Details and Growth Metrics
This latest fundraise follows a previous $150 million Series D round from January 2026, which valued Alpaca at $1.15 billion, along with an earlier $52 million Series C in 2025. The influx of capital is designed to accelerate the company’s development of what it terms “agent-first” brokerage services.
CEO Yoshi Yokokawa emphasized that AI integration will serve as a core driver for the company’s growth rather than merely an added feature. The funds will be utilized to enhance Alpaca’s infrastructure, making it more accessible for AI trading systems.
Capabilities of Alpaca’s Infrastructure
Alpaca operates as a developer-centric brokerage API that facilitates programmatic access to financial markets. Supported assets include stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. The platform allows for trading of tokenized equities on Ethereum and Solana through a unified API.
To improve AI integration, Alpaca has introduced tools such as the Trading MCP Server, enabling AI agents to interact with markets through natural language. This means AI can place trades by articulating strategies instead of relying solely on conventional API calls. Additionally, a Trading CLI has been developed specifically for AI execution workflows.
The ability to use a single connection for a diversified portfolio including Apple stock, an S&P 500 ETF, Bitcoin, and tokenized equities on Solana sets Alpaca apart in the market, a notable evolution from typical crypto-centric trading bots.
This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.
