Hitoshi Harada, Alpaca | theCUBE + NYSE Wired: Crypto Trailblazers

In this episode of theCUBE, John Furrier speaks with Hitoshi Harada, co-founder and chief product officer of Alpaca, about the innovative role of crypto APIs in modern financial systems. Harada discusses how Alpaca provides a brokerage infrastructure API that facilitates access to US stocks and digital assets for over 280 companies worldwide. Established in 2018, Alpaca has positioned itself at the forefront of the evolving financial technology landscape, focusing on both traditional securities and digital currencies while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. The conversation explores the company's enabling infrastructure that helps entrepreneurs and startups build next-gen financial solutions, including tokenization platforms. Harada emphasizes the integration of technology and finance, pointing out that the traditional and digital asset markets are increasingly converging, thus shaping the future of global financial systems.

Key Topics Covered:

• Overview of Alpaca's brokerage infrastructure API and its role in digital asset trading.
• The significance of tokenization in evolving financial markets.
• Integration of traditional and digital assets at Alpaca.
• Regulatory compliance and security measures in crypto trading.
• Insights on the entrepreneurial landscape in crypto and fintech.
• Impact of Alpaca's platform on startups and established firms.
• Catalysts for innovation in financial technology through API use.
• Future trends in blockchain and the role of AI in finance.