Zesty Crypto Trading in Chile Goes Live With Alpaca

Zesty, a Chilean fintech platform, launched crypto trading for local investors on June 11, powered by Alpaca’s Broker API. The integration gives Zesty users access to 36 cryptocurrencies alongside US and Chilean equity markets within a single app.

What Zesty launched in Chile through Alpaca

Alpaca announced on June 11 that Zesty had gone live with crypto trading in Chile, built on Alpaca’s Broker API. The new offering sits alongside the platform’s existing access to US and Chilean stock markets.

Vicente Rotman, Zesty co-founder, said “crypto trading is a natural next step for our customers and the region.” The move positions Zesty as a multi-asset gateway in a market where investors previously needed separate platforms for equities and digital assets.

What Chilean users can trade and how the setup works

Zesty’s crypto page lists Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and 33 additional cryptocurrencies available for trading. The minimum investment is USD 1, with a 0.4% commission and 24/7 market access. That low entry point mirrors a broader trend across Latin American fintechs, similar to how firms in Asia have sought to lower barriers to Bitcoin-linked products.

The regulatory structure behind the offering involves multiple entities. Zesty is registered with Chile’s Comisión para el Mercado Financiero (CMF) and authorized to provide order-routing services under Law 21.521, the country’s fintech legislation.

Cash custody and foreign exchange are handled by Vector Capital Corredores de Bolsa SpA, while Alpaca Securities LLC provides execution and custody for foreign securities. Readers watching how traditional finance rails are being used to support crypto access may recall Y Combinator’s recent comments on crypto reaching every portfolio company, a sign that infrastructure partnerships like this one are becoming standard.

According to a quote attributed to Rotman, no crypto platform currently operating in Chile is regulated. That claim has not been independently verified across all competing platforms, but Zesty’s CMF registration and disclosed legal structure do distinguish it from exchanges that operate without local regulatory ties.

Why the launch matters in Chile’s crypto market

Chile is not a small crypto market. Chainalysis reported $23.8 billion in crypto transaction volume for the country in its 2025 Latin America adoption report.

That volume suggests strong underlying demand, which Zesty is now trying to capture through a regulated, multi-asset interface. The approach resembles what Bison has done in Europe, building consumer crypto access on top of existing financial infrastructure.

Bitcoin was trading at $63,648 at the time of research, with a modest 0.32% gain over the prior 24 hours. Broader sentiment was cautious: the Fear & Greed Index sat at 12, deep in “Extreme Fear” territory.

Launching a new crypto product during a period of extreme fear is a bet that structural access matters more than short-term sentiment. For Zesty, the bull case rests on Chile’s proven transaction volume and the convenience of consolidating equities and crypto in one place.

The risks are equally concrete. Adoption depends on whether Chilean retail investors trust a multi-entity custody and execution chain, and whether Law 21.521’s order-routing framework proves durable as regulators across Latin America continue to refine crypto oversight. Zesty’s early-mover positioning could pay off, but execution across three asset classes and multiple service providers leaves little room for operational missteps.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.