# Alpaca

> API for Stock, Options, and Crypto Trading

Alpaca provides developer APIs for stock, options, and crypto trading, enabling businesses and developers to build trading applications and automate investment strategies.

Alpaca helps developers and businesses access financial markets through API-first infrastructure for stock, options, and cryptocurrency trading. Users can build algorithmic trading strategies, create investing applications, and integrate brokerage services into their platforms.

- Type: Company
- Sector: Finance
- Status: Active
- Founded: 2017-01-01
- Profile: https://thegrid.id/profiles/alpaca

## Products

- [Alpaca Trading API](https://thegrid.id/profiles/alpaca): Alpaca Trading API enables commission-free stock, options, and crypto trading through REST and WebSocket interfaces for algorithmic traders and developers. The system supports real-time order execution, portfolio management, and paper trading simulation environments for strategy testing. Trading API includes margin trading capabilities, fractional share trading, and automated order routing across market venues. (Developer Tooling, Live, Main Product)
- [Broker API](https://thegrid.id/profiles/alpaca): Broker API provides brokerage infrastructure for businesses building trading applications and investment platforms. The system handles account opening, funding operations, trade execution, custody services, and regulatory reporting for end users. Broker API supports local currency trading, funding wallets, omnibus sub-accounting, and white-label brokerage services for fintech companies and financial institutions. (Developer Tooling, Live)
- [Market Data API](https://thegrid.id/profiles/alpaca): Market Data API delivers real-time and historical pricing data for stocks, options, and crypto assets through HTTP and WebSocket protocols. The system provides trade data, quote data, bar data, and options chains with market coverage from CTA, UTP, and OPRA feeds. Market Data API offers subscription tiers from free IEX data to premium SIP data with historical coverage extending beyond six years. (Pricing Data API, Live)
- [Instant Tokenization Network](https://thegrid.id/profiles/alpaca): Instant Tokenization Network enables institutions to mint and redeem tokenized US stocks through in-kind settlement on blockchain networks. The system provides 24/7 access for portfolio tokenization via single API calls, eliminating settlement delays and enabling direct conversion between traditional brokerage-held shares and tokenized variants. Instant Tokenization Network supports Solana as initial settlement layer with planned multi-chain compatibility, facilitating liquidity flows between traditional finance and decentralized finance markets through compliant infrastructure. (RWA Tokenisation Platform, Live)

## Links

- [Main](https://alpaca.markets)
- [Privacy policy](https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.alpaca.markets/disclosures/PrivacyPolicy.pdf)
- [Terms of Service](https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.alpaca.markets/disclosures/library/TermsAndConditions.pdf)
- [Blog](https://alpaca.markets/blog)
- [Documentation](https://docs.alpaca.markets)
- [Forum](https://forum.alpaca.markets)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/alpacahq)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpacamarkets)
- [Twitter / X](https://x.com/AlpacaHQ)

## Legal

This data is provided under two licensing models.

Model 1 - open data. The open data core is licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL) — a copyleft/share-alike license allowing free use, modification, and sharing for any purpose. Attribution is required: include "Powered by The Grid" linking to https://thegrid.id wherever the data is used. Derivative databases must be shared under ODbL terms. Trademarks, logos, and brand names (marked "Special TPIP") are not covered by the ODbL. For ML/AI use: training datasets that substantially extract ODbL data are Derivative Databases and must be shared under ODbL if publicly used; models must be attributed in documentation.

Model 2 - commercial licenses. The Grid Data Service (TGDS) is also available as a commercial license. See [Web Services Terms](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/web-services-terms) for commercial use that is not covered by the open data service.

The following applies to both licensing models.
- All data is provided AS IS with no guarantees of accuracy.
- The Grid does not provide investment, legal, or tax advice, and
- a project's presence in The Grid's data does not imply endorsement.


- [Data Licensing & Disclaimers](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/data-licensing-and-disclaimers): Licensing models and disclaimers
- [Open Data (ODbL)](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/open-data): Open Database License terms and scope for The Grid's open data service.
- [Attribution Guidelines](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/open-data-attribution-guidelines): How to attribute The Grid's data when using the open data service.
- [Web Services Terms](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/web-services-terms): commercial Terms for using data services.
- [All Legal Documents](https://about.thegrid.id/legal): Full index of terms, policies, and disclosures

## Optional

- [TGS Field Descriptions](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/tgs-field-descriptions.md): Schema field definitions for The Grid's data model
- [TGS JSON Structure](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/tgs-json-structure.md): Data model structure and relationships
- [Product Type Definitions](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/product-type-definitions.md): Definitions for each product type
- [Product Type Classification](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/product-type-classification.md): Guide for classifying products into types
- [Grid MCP Guide](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/grid-search/skills/grid-query/references/grid-mcp-guide.md): How to query The Grid programmatically via MCP