Alpaca and ZAD Partner for Global Shariah-compliant Investments
Deal News | Jul 08, 2025 | Zawya
Alpaca and ZAD have announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding Shariah-compliant investment products' accessibility on a global scale. Alpaca, a U.S.-based self-clearing broker-dealer and brokerage infrastructure API, will partner with ZAD, an investment platform in Kuwait focused on providing Shariah-compliant US stocks and ETFs. This collaboration is poised to offer Shariah-compliant instant funding, margin trading, options trading, and high-yield cash accounts. The partnership comes at a time when the global Islamic finance market is expanding rapidly, with key regions including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and the UAE experiencing significant demand for compliant financial solutions. Both companies aim to meet the growing appetite for Shariah-compliant financial products by developing products that adhere to Islamic laws and are scalable across Islamic regions. Alpaca has secured substantial financial backing to support its ventures, while ZAD continues to focus on simplifying the investment process for investors adhering to Shariah principles. This joint effort underscores the importance of cultural and regional awareness in financial product design and distribution.
Sectors
- Islamic Finance
- Financial Technology
- Brokerage Services
Geography
- United States – Alpaca is headquartered in the United States, where it offers brokerage infrastructure and other financial services.
- Kuwait – ZAD, the investment platform partnering with Alpaca, is based in Kuwait and focuses on Shariah-compliant investment products.
- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – The GCC region, including countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, is identified as a target market for the expansion of Shariah-compliant investment products.
Industry
- Islamic Finance – The article discusses the strategic partnership between Alpaca and ZAD to offer Shariah-compliant investment products, making it highly relevant to the Islamic Finance industry.
- Financial Technology – Alpaca's use of brokerage infrastructure API in collaboration with ZAD highlights the Financial Technology industry's role in enabling innovative financial services.
- Brokerage Services – As Alpaca serves as a self-clearing broker-dealer, the Brokerage Services industry is a key component in the article's focus.
Financials
- Over USD 170 million – Alpaca has raised over USD 170 million in funding to support its brokerage infrastructure and expand its services.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca | Broker-dealer and brokerage infrastructure provider | Company | Alpaca is a US-based self-clearing broker-dealer providing a brokerage infrastructure API for stocks, options, and more. It is partnering with ZAD to expand Shariah-compliant investing. |
| ZAD | Investment platform | Company | ZAD is a Kuwait-based investment platform focused on providing access to Shariah-compliant US stocks and ETFs. |
| Abdullah Alotaibi | Co-Founder and Deputy CEO of Fintech Brokerage | Person | Abdullah Alotaibi is associated with ZAD and has played a role in building products with Alpaca for Shariah-compliant investing. |
| Yoshi Yokokawa | CEO and Co-Founder | Person | Yoshi Yokokawa is the CEO and Co-Founder of Alpaca, overseeing its efforts to expand financial accessibility through Shariah-compliance. |