Gotrade added options trading to its mobile investing platform across Southeast Asia, working with Alpaca's brokerage infrastructure to offer derivatives alongside fractional stock trading.
The Malaysia-based app started offering options contracts last week through Alpaca's broker API, which handles order execution and trade processing. Users can now trade long calls and long puts through the mobile interface, with covered calls and cash-secured puts planned for future releases.
Partnership Extends Four-Year Collaboration
Gotrade first partnered with Alpaca in 2021 to launch fractional trading of U.S. stocks. The New York-based infrastructure provider now powers over 7 million brokerage accounts across hundreds of fintech firms and institutions in more than 40 countries, according to company disclosures.
"Options trading is a natural evolution for our users, and we're changing the landscape by making a tool previously reserved for institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals available to everyone," said Norman Wanto, CEO of Gotrade. "Partnering with Alpaca gives us the freedom to innovate and scale quickly, which is critical for building a better experience in emerging markets like Southeast Asia."
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The platform includes visual guides and tooltips designed to simplify options strategies for retail users unfamiliar with derivatives. Alpaca, which serves as a self-clearing broker-dealer, provides access to stocks, exchange-traded funds, options and fixed income through its API infrastructure.
"Gotrade's product-first approach has been a key factor in building trust and driving growth in Southeast Asia," said Yoshi Yokokawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Alpaca. "We're thrilled to continue our partnership by providing the infrastructure they need to launch innovative products quickly."
The move comes after Alpaca expanded its offering earlier this month to include 24/7 access to stocks through its new tokenization platform.
Retail Investing Gains Traction in Region
Malaysia counts 5 million retail investors while Indonesia has 17 million as of 2025, though both markets have historically struggled with high fees and minimum balance requirements that limited access to U.S. securities. Gotrade launched in 2019, offering fractional shares starting at $1, eliminating commission fees by charging 0.5% to 1.2% on foreign exchange conversions when users deposit local currency.
The app now serves users across more than 140 countries after receiving clearance from Malaysia's Labuan Financial Service Authority. In Indonesia, the platform operates through PT Valbury Asia Futures, a licensed broker-dealer established in 1999.
Gotrade raised $15.5 million in Series A funding in 2022, led by Velocity Capital Fintech Ventures with participation from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, BeeNext and Picus Capital. The company reported processing about $400 million across 5 million trades as of early 2022, though updated transaction figures were not disclosed.
