Zipline is an open source backtesting framework written in Python that allows investors to analyze and backtest trading strategies programmatically. As an open source project, Zipline does not issue publicly traded stock. However, there are a few ways investors can gain exposure to and support the development of Zipline.
Invest in Quantopian which was acquired by Robinhood
Quantopian was one of the early pioneers in using Zipline for backtesting trading strategies on the cloud. In 2020, Quantopian was acquired by Robinhood. Robinhood is a publicly traded company so investors can purchase Robinhood stock (HOOD) to gain exposure to Zipline and support its development.
Contribute to Zipline’s open source development
As an open source project, Zipline relies on the community to contribute code and improvements. Investors with python coding skills can directly contribute to the Zipline codebase on GitHub.
Invest in funds using Zipline for strategy research
Some hedge funds and asset managers use Zipline for researching and analyzing trading strategies. Investors can look for funds that utilize Zipline and invest in those funds to indirectly support continued development of the platform.
While not directly investable, investors can gain exposure to the python backtesting framework Zipline by investing in Quantopian’s parent Robinhood, contributing code, or investing in funds using Zipline for research.