Embedded investing providers (also called Brokerage-as-a-Service) offer the regulated infrastructure that lets fintechs, neobanks, and consumer platforms launch stock, ETF, and fractional trading—plus custody, tax wrappers (e.g. ISA, SIPP, IRA), portfolio management, and crypto—without becoming a broker-dealer themselves. Compare US vs EU vs UK regulatory coverage, asset classes (equities, fractional, crypto, ETFs), trading models (self-directed vs robo-advisor), and integration depth (REST API vs white-label flows).
| Provider | HQ | Category | Target Market | Dev Portal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WealthKernel | '%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small} | embedded-investingbrokerage+2 | Fintechswealth-managers+1 | Docs | View | |
DriveWealth |  | embedded-investingbrokerage+1 | FintechsNeobanks+2 | Docs | View | |
 | Treasure | | Treasurycash-management+1 | corporatesstartups+2 | Docs | View |
Alpaca | | embedded-investingbrokerage+2 | FintechsNeobanks+2 | Docs | View | |
Apex Fintech Solutions | | embedded-investingbrokerage+2 | FintechsNeobanks+3 | Docs | View | |
Upvest |  | embedded-investingbrokerage+2 | FintechsNeobanks+2 | Docs | View | |
Lemon.markets | | embedded-investingbrokerage+1 | FintechsPlatforms+1 | Docs | View | |
Bambu | '/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='translate(288.889 -214.211)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='translate(108 342.749)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='translate(469.189 342.749)'/%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small} | embedded-investingwealth-management+1 | wealth-managementFintechs+2 | Docs | View |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is embedded investing (Brokerage-as-a-Service)?
Embedded investing—often marketed as Brokerage-as-a-Service (BaaS) or Investing-as-a-Service—is infrastructure that lets non-brokers offer stock, ETF, fractional, and sometimes crypto trading inside their app. The infrastructure provider holds the broker-dealer license (or partners with one), handles custody, clearing, settlement, tax reporting, and regulatory filings. The platform owns the user experience and economics.
Who are the leading embedded investing providers in 2026?
The leading providers vary by region. US: Alpaca (commission-free trading API, Series C-backed), Apex Fintech Solutions (clearing infrastructure behind many neobanks and robo-advisors), DriveWealth (fractional shares, used by Revolut and Cash App). Europe: Upvest (Berlin, MiFID II investment firm license, used by Revolut and N26), Lemon.markets (Berlin, BaFin-regulated). UK: WealthKernel (FCA-regulated, ISA/SIPP/JISA wrappers). Robo/portfolio: Bambu (white-label robo-advisor). See the table above for the full directory.
Do I need a broker-dealer license to embed investing?
Generally no—that is the whole point of Brokerage-as-a-Service. The infrastructure provider holds the broker-dealer (US), MiFID II investment firm (EU), or FCA permissions (UK) and acts as the regulated entity. You integrate via API and offer the experience under your brand, often as an introducing broker or appointed representative. You will still need to handle KYC, suitability assessments, marketing rules, and (in the US) FINRA-regulated communications.
What is the difference between embedded investing and a robo-advisor platform?
Embedded investing infrastructure (Alpaca, DriveWealth, Upvest, Lemon.markets, WealthKernel) gives you raw building blocks: trading APIs, custody, clearing, fractional shares. A robo-advisor platform (Bambu, some configurations of WealthKernel) sits one layer up and provides the algorithmic portfolio management, rebalancing, and risk-profiling logic. Many platforms combine both—use a brokerage-as-a-service provider for execution and custody, and a robo-advisor layer for portfolio construction.
Which asset classes can I embed?
Most embedded investing providers cover US equities and ETFs. Fractional shares are now table stakes (DriveWealth, Alpaca, Upvest). Crypto is supported by Alpaca, DriveWealth, and a few others (regulatory permissions vary by region). Tax-advantaged wrappers like UK ISAs, SIPPs, and JISAs are a WealthKernel speciality; US IRAs are typically supported by Apex. Options, futures, and bonds have narrower coverage—check the provider page for specifics.