Count Finance has launched Stocks and Shares ISAs in the UK, supported by Alpaca and WealthKernel.
The offering lets eligible UK users invest through a tax-advantaged account on Count's platform, which combines regulated financial advice with investment execution.
The launch extends a service built around personalised financial strategies for retail investors. Those strategies cover budgeting, saving, investing and tax planning, with ISAs positioned as a core part of the advice process rather than a standalone product.
The move comes as financial advice remains out of reach for many UK consumers. Count cited Financial Conduct Authority survey data showing that only a small minority of UK adults use regulated financial advice, with cost the main barrier.
Traditional advisory firms often impose minimum asset thresholds or fees that exclude much of the mass market, according to Count. While automated investment services have widened access in some areas, the company argues they do not always provide the broader guidance many consumers want.
Count's model is aimed at that gap. Users receive a financial strategy and can then act on it through the same platform, with investment decisions and tax wrappers integrated into the process.
Laura Cornely, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Count Finance, outlined the role ISAs play within that approach.
"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, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Count Finance.
The product is built on infrastructure from Alpaca and WealthKernel, which Alpaca recently acquired. That setup gives Count access to model portfolios, transfer functions and a wider range of funds and exchange-traded funds.
It also allows the firm to automate allocation decisions, consolidate existing holdings and offer diversified market exposure without requiring customers to manage those steps themselves. Count says this supports a more hands-off experience for users who want advice but may lack confidence in making portfolio decisions on their own.
Cornely said the business was built to address a practical problem faced by consumers who struggled to organise their finances.
"Count didn't start with a grand vision to disrupt finance," said 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."
Advice gap
The UK wealth and advice market has drawn increasing attention to the so-called advice gap, where many consumers fall between full-service wealth management and basic self-directed investing. Firms targeting that middle ground have increasingly turned to digital models that combine lower delivery costs with some degree of personalisation.
Count currently operates within the Financial Conduct Authority's regulatory sandbox, which allows firms to test regulated products under supervision in live market conditions. The company reported more than GBP £10 million in committed assets under advice and said it has seen early demand from a growing user base.
That traction is likely to be closely watched because scaling regulated advice for lower-balance customers has proved difficult for many firms. The economics of personal advice, especially when compliance and suitability requirements are involved, have often limited broader distribution.
Alpaca executives said Count's model addresses a significant market issue by widening access to regulated investment advice.
"Count is tackling one of the most important challenges in finance today by expanding access to regulated investment advice," said Karan Shanmugarajah, Chief Executive Officer 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."
Alpaca's leadership separately pointed to the UK retail finance market as an area where demand for more accessible planning tools remains strong.
"Count is addressing one of the most pressing challenges in UK retail finance, and we're proud to support them," said Yoshi Yokokawa, Chief Executive Officer 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."
Next stage
Beyond direct consumer growth, Count plans to expand through B2B and B2B2C distribution. That strategy is aimed at institutions that already see demand for financial planning services but lack the internal capacity to deliver tailored advice at scale.
This suggests Count sees its longer-term role not only as a consumer-facing brand but also as a service layer for other organisations seeking regulated planning and investment tools. In a market where employers, financial platforms and consumer brands are exploring ways to add financial wellbeing services, that route could open broader distribution than a direct-to-consumer model alone.
For now, the ISA launch gives Count a tax wrapper widely used by UK savers and investors, and one that fits naturally within broader planning around pensions, savings and household finances. It also gives the company a product that can help bring more of a customer's financial activity into one place, which is central to its advice-led model.
Its next phase will focus on growing assets under advice, expanding its user base and adding further features through its relationship with Alpaca.