Starting today, Alpaca’s Trading API users* can earn up to 4.07% annual percentage yield (APY)** on their uninvested USD balances with our new High-Yield Cash1 program—a simple way to earn interest while continuing to trade commission-free. We launched this program to help retail investors maximize growth opportunities on our platform and are excited to bring this to a wider audience after a successful beta test in October.
How Alpaca’s High-Yield Cash Program Helps You
Whether you're building cash reserves or waiting for the right market entry, every dollar in your account should work as hard as you do. Our program puts your idle cash to work, earning interest without restricting your trading activity.
Put Idle Cash to Work, Effortlessly
When you enroll in Alpaca’s High-Yield Cash program, you’ll start earning up to 4.07% APY** on your uninvested cash.
With Alpaca, you’ll be earning nearly 10x the national average2—a rate that outpaces traditional savings accounts and is highly competitive against top B2C fintech offerings.
FDIC Insurance Up to $1M
Alpaca helps protect your High-Yield Cash with up to $1 million in FDIC insurance through our program banks***. This insurance acts as a safety net, covering your funds even in the unlikely event of a bank failure. As we expand this program, we will continually seek to increase coverage limits to extend protection for high-net-worth and institutional customers.
Liquidity and Flexibility
You can access your funds at any time, enabling you to withdraw, transfer, or use them as buying power when opportunities arise. Enjoy the same-day flexibility you expect from your trading account, with the added benefit of earning interest when funds are uninvested.
How to Enroll
Log in to your Dashboard Overview or enroll through the Plans and Features tab. Within minutes, you can activate your participation and start earning.
New to Alpaca? Create an account in minutes and start earning 4.07% APY** while you trade.
About Alpaca
Alpaca is a US-headquartered self-clearing broker-dealer and brokerage infrastructure for stocks, ETFs, options, fixed income, and crypto– raising over USD170 million in funding. Alpaca is backed by top-tier investors globally, including Portage Ventures, Spark Capital, Tribe Capital, Social Leverage, Horizons Ventures, Unbound, SBI Group, Derayah Financial, Elefund, and Y Combinator.
*Please note that this is only available to Alpaca users who are classified as non-pattern day traders.
**Please note that this interest rate is effective as of December 24, 2024, and is subject to change and may not be the interest rate on the date this is read.
***The FDIC insures $250,000 per customer per deposit bank. Alpaca currently has multiple deposit banks. Please note that this figure will also change if the number of deposit banks changes.
1. ‘High-Yield Cash’ or ‘High-Yield Cash API’ is a technology product offered by AlpacaDB, Inc. (“Alpaca”) which allows users to, among other things, access securities brokerage services provided by Alpaca Securities LLC ("Alpaca Securities"), including but not limited to the Alpaca Securities LLC FDIC Bank Sweep Program (the “FDIC Bank Sweep” or “Program”). Alpaca Securities is a member of FINRA/SIPC, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AlpacaDB, Inc. Please see alpaca.markets/disclosures for further information and important disclosures.
2. The FDIC reports the national average savings account interest rate. This current interest rate is 0.41 APY, as of April 21, 2025, and is subject to change and may not be the interest rate on the date this is read. https://www.fdic.gov/national-rates-and-rate-caps
Commission-free trading means that there are no commission charges for Alpaca self-directed individual cash brokerage accounts that trade U.S.-listed securities and options through an API. Relevant regulatory fees may apply. Commission-free trading is available to Alpaca's retail customers. Alpaca reserves the right to charge additional fees if it is determined that order flow is non-retail in nature.
Alpaca Securities offers a cash management program pursuant to the FDIC Bank Sweep. Customer funds are treated differently and are subject to separate regulatory regimes depending on whether customer funds are held in their brokerage account or within the FDIC Bank Sweep. Specifically, Alpaca Securities is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims for cash). The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures up to $250,000 per deposit against the failure of an FDIC member bank. Customer funds held in brokerage accounts are SIPC insured, but are not eligible for FDIC insurance coverage. Funds maintained in the FDIC Bank Sweep are intended to be eligible for pass-through FDIC insurance coverage, but are not subject to SIPC coverage. FDIC insurance coverage does not protect against the failure of Alpaca, Alpaca Securities, or any of its or their affiliates and/or malfeasance by any Alpaca or Alpaca Securities employee. Program banks that participate in the FDIC Bank Sweep are not members of SIPC and therefore funds held in the Program are not SIPC protected. Please see alpaca.markets/disclosures for important additional disclosures regarding Alpaca Securities brokerage offering as well as FDIC Bank Sweep terms and conditions.
High-Yield Cash API is subject to, among other things, Alpaca’s API terms and conditions. In addition, customer access to the FDIC Bank Sweep is subject to, among other things, the Alpaca Customer Agreement, Alpaca Terms and Conditions, and the Alpaca FDIC Bank Sweep Program Terms and Conditions. Please see alpaca.markets/disclosures for further information and important disclosures.
Alpaca Securities customers that enroll in the FDIC Bank Sweep are potentially eligible for enhanced FDIC pass-through insurance coverage. Neither Alpaca nor Alpaca Securities are FDIC-insured. FDIC pass-through insurance coverage is subject to various conditions. The Program’s enhanced FDIC insurance coverage is limited to the aggregate number of participating program banks, multiplied by the FDIC insurance limit (i.e., $250,000). The total number of program banks is subject to change and Alpaca Securities may not utilize all program banks at all times which will affect the Program’s enhanced FDIC insurance coverage amount. In addition, if a customer has a direct banking relationship with a program bank this may affect the amount of funds that are potentially eligible for FDIC-pass through insurance coverage. There is no guarantee that customer funds will be held in such a manner as to maximize possible FDIC pass-through insurance coverage. Please see alpaca.markets/disclosures for further information and important disclosures.
Securities brokerage services are provided by Alpaca Securities, member FINRA/SIPC. Technology and related services are offered by AlpacaDB, Inc.
Please note that the content of this piece article is for general information only and is believed to be accurate as of the posting date but may be subject to change. Alpaca and its affiliates do not provide investment, tax, or legal advice. Please consult your own independent advisor as to any investment, tax, or legal statements made herein.
All investments involve risk, and the past performance of a security, or financial product does not guarantee future results or returns. There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will achieve its objectives. Please note that diversification does not ensure a profit, or protect against loss. There is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities, or other financial products. Investors should consider their investment objectives and risks carefully before investing.
This is not an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities or open a brokerage account in any jurisdiction where Alpaca Securities are not registered or licensed, as applicable.
