Build Your Own Brokerage Experience

A complete toolkit for fintech developers to build investment apps, robo-advisors, and trading services on top of Alpaca's brokerage infrastructure.

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1. The Integration Journey

Follow our phased process to take your application from concept to a fully live brokerage service.

01

Sandbox

Sign up for a Broker Dashboard account to get sandbox keys. This environment allows you to build out your integration and test all key API functions without using real money.

Get Sandbox Keys
02

Limited Live

Once your app is ready, you'll be granted a production key to test with real money and accounts. The goal is to test, fix bugs, and prepare for a full launch. During this phase, access to your app should be gated (e.g., via invite code).

03

Live

After completing full due diligence and tech sign-off, your app can go fully live. You can begin onboarding external accounts and offering your brokerage service to the public.

2. Learn the Broker Ecosystem

Understand the core workflows for building a brokerage app.

Onboard and Manage Users

Create fully-featured brokerage accounts for your end-users via the API. Alpaca handles the identity verification (KYC) and account opening process.

  • Programmatic account creation
  • Built-in KYC and identity verification
  • Update contact and suitability information
  • View and manage all user accounts from a central dashboard

Broker Dashboard Guide

Develop, test, and scale your fintech app in a secure sandbox environment.

All-in-One Solution

Create your trading app with a full suite of brokerage functionalities at your fingertips.

Built for Scale

Leverage cutting-edge technology designed for growth and reliability.

Developer-First

An intuitive, easy-to-use platform with unlimited sandbox testing.

Self-Serve Guidebook

A step-by-step guide to building your trading app with the Broker API Dashboard.

Create Your Account

Log in to the Broker API Dashboard and personalize it with your team and product details.

Create User Accounts

Understand KYC and use the API to onboard your end-users.

Fund Accounts

Learn how to fund accounts via ACH, wire transfers, and journaling.

Place Trades

Pass orders on behalf of your end-users and manage their lifecycle.

3. Build Core Workflows

Use these examples as a starting point for your own application.

Create a User Account

Beginner

Submit all the required information to create a new brokerage account for an end-user.

Initiate an ACH Transfer

Beginner

Create a relationship with a user's bank account and initiate a deposit into their brokerage account.

Place a Trade for a User

Intermediate

Submit a market order for a specific user account by referencing their unique Account ID.

Listen for Events

Advanced

Use Webhooks or Server-Sent Events (SSE) to receive real-time updates on account status, trades, and transfers.

4. Resources & Next Steps

Find helpful links, answers to common questions, and ways to get in touch.

Development Resources

Official Broker API Docs Account Opening Guide Broker API Blog Postman Collection Reference App (Ribbit)

Support

For partnership inquiries, contact our sales team at [email protected]. For technical support, contact [email protected] or use your dedicated Slack channel.

Frequently Asked Questions