Count Finance (Count), a regulated financial advice platform that builds and executes personalized financial strategies for everyday investors in the UK, recently announced the launch of Stocks and Shares Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), enabling eligible UK users to invest through a tax-advantaged Stocks and Shares ISA. With this product expansion, Count aims to deliver on its founding mission to make real, regulated financial advice accessible to every investor. The launch is powered by Alpaca and its recently acquired platform, WealthKernel.
The gap between financial engagement and guidance has long defined the UK retail investor experience. The most recent FCA Financial Advice Firms Survey has consistently documented how few UK adults (9%) access regulated financial advice, with cost being the primary barrier followed by other complexities.1,2
Driven by the increasing cost to dispense financial advice, traditional advisers often operate with minimum asset requirements or charge fees that make professional advice less accessible to the broader population.3 Robo-advisers fill some of that space, but often they only provide a limited service.4 The result is a growing population of consumers who want professional advice but cannot access it.
Count addresses this by combining regulated financial advice with complete investment execution on a single platform. The platform’s users receive a personalized financial strategy that spans budgeting, saving, investing, and tax optimization.
ISAs sit at the center of the financial strategy. “For our users, ISAs aren’t just a product, they’re a core part of the financial plan. We’re not just giving access to an ISA. We evaluate whether it is the right vehicle for each user. We determine appropriate allocation amounts, recommend underlying funds and ETFs, and explain how they fit alongside pension contributions and other financial priorities. Users do not need to figure out where ISAs belong in their financial picture. The platform does that work for them,” said Laura Cornely, CEO and Co-Founder of Count Finance.
Through our API infrastructure, Count can access model portfolios, transfer capabilities, and access to a broad range of funds and ETFs. This enables the company to automate allocation decisions, consolidate existing holdings, and deliver diversified investment exposure without requiring users to manage those choices themselves.
"Count didn't start with a grand vision to disrupt finance," added Cornely. "It started with a simple observation that people had no idea where to start with their money. Not because they didn't care, but because the industry's answer was always 'come back when you have more.' We built Count to change that. Every user gets a complete financial strategy and the tools to put it into action. Alpaca gave us the infrastructure to deliver on that promise. The API and pricing model were exactly what we needed to build the right product quickly. They handle the execution layer so we can stay focused on where our users need the most support: the advice itself."
"Count is tackling one of the most important challenges in finance today by expanding access to regulated investment advice," said Karan Shanmugarajah, CEO of Alpaca Europe. "Through Alpaca, we are proud to support partners like Count in building solutions that make financial advice accessible to the broader market."
“Count is addressing one of the most pressing challenges in UK retail finance, and we’re proud to support them,” said Yoshi Yokokawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Alpaca. “With Alpaca’s local expertise and infrastructure, we’re making it easier for partners like Count to build and scale financial products across the region.”
Count reported that it currently operates within the FCA's regulatory sandbox, a supervised framework that allows innovative financial services firms to test regulated products under real-world conditions. With over £10 million in committed assets under advice and a growing user base, Count has established early proof of demand.
As the company scales past its current sandbox limits, the team plans to expand through B2B and B2B2C distribution channels, partnering with institutions that have existing demand for financial planning services but limited capacity to deliver them at a personalized level. The next phase focuses on growing assets under advice, expanding the user base, and deepening the platform's capabilities through additional features powered by Alpaca.
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References
- Understanding the advice market: financial advice firms survey 2025, FCA, April 23, 2026
- Advice-Gap-2025 P 16, The Lang Cat, June 25, 2025
- Advice-Gap-2025 P25, The Lang Cat, June 25, 2025
- Automated investment services - our expectations, FCA, May 7, 2024
The content of this blog is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Alpaca and WealthKernel, do not provide investment, tax, or legal advice. Individuals should consult their own financial, tax, and legal advisers regarding their specific circumstances.
Alpaca Europe is a trading name of WealthKernel Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 723719. It is registered in England and Wales under number 09686970 with the registered office at 41 Luke Street, London, EC2A 4DP.
WealthKernel Spain, A.V., S.L.U. is authorised and registered with the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), Official Registry No. 328. Services described herein may not be provided by WealthKernel Spain, A.V., S.L.U.
Alpaca and WealthKernel, are not affiliated with Count Finance, and none of the parties is responsible for the liabilities of the other.
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