UK financial licences
Applications · Acquisitions · Compliance
From financial permissions to company formation,
Establish a clear compliance path for your UK business.
FCA conduct regulation · PRA prudential regulation · Full-lifecycle UK company services
Financial Permission Applications
Business perimeter · Application preparation · Regulatory communication
Acquisition of licensed companies
Permission verification · Due diligence · Change in control approval
UK company services
Company incorporation · Bank account opening · Annual reviews, accounts and tax
Two regulatory systems, one clear path
First confirm what your business does and who holds the funds,
Then determine the applicable combination of authorisations, registrations or permissions.
Financial Conduct Authority
Financial Conduct Authority
Covers activities including investment, payments, electronic money, consumer credit and insurance distribution, focusing on market integrity and consumer protection.
Prudential Regulation Authority
Prudential Regulation Authority
Responsible for the safety and soundness of banks, insurers and designated investment firms, with an emphasis on capital, liquidity, governance and risk management.
Directory numbers are for commercial classification only and do not represent separate statutory licence numbers. Some institutions are regulated by both FCA and PRA; “registration” is not equivalent to full authorisation.
Find the applicable permission for your business
Authorised payment institution API
Authorised Payment Institution APIFor cross-border remittances, merchant acquiring and payment account services, first map the fund flows against the eight services under PSRs.
View the application and compliance guideAuthorised electronic money institution AEMI
Authorised Electronic Money Institution AEMIElectronic wallets, prepaid accounts and electronic money issuance: plan capital and customer fund safeguarding separately.
View the application and compliance guideSecurities, investment and asset management
Managing investmentsFor securities brokerage, investment advice and asset management, determine MiFID investment permissions according to the actual role.
View the application and compliance guideFull-scope UK AIFM
Full-scope UK AIFMAlternative fund management, full-scope and small AIFM: assess fund products and managers separately.
View the application and compliance guideCryptoasset Business MLR Registration
Cryptoasset MLR RegistrationCurrent MLR registration, financial promotions and future FSMA authorisation: clearly distinguishing the different stages of the regimes.
View the application and compliance guideBanks and deposit-taking institutions
UK BankDomestic banks, overseas branches and deposit-taking institutions: coordinating capital, governance and dual-regulation requirements.
View the application and compliance guide
You are acquiring more than just a company,
It is also an ongoing regulatory responsibility.
UK financial licences attach to the authorised entity and its specific permissions. Before an acquisition, review regulatory records, financial risks, client money and change-in-control approval together.
- Verify the scope of permissions, restrictions and current registration status
- Due diligence on finances, AML, client money and historical liabilities
- New controllers, key personnel and transaction conditions precedent
- Post-completion governance, systems handover and ongoing maintenance
No fictitious inventory is offered for sale; the transaction target and valuation must be confirmed through seller authorisation and due diligence findings.
From UK company formation,
Through every year of compliant operation.
Company incorporation is a starting point, not a licence or a guarantee of opening a bank account. Plan comprehensive company services around the entity structure, business substance and tax status.
Company registration
Ltd · PLC · LLP · LP and other entities
Opening a bank account
Preparing genuine business operations, UBO and sources of funds
Annual review and maintenance
Companies House Filing and Identity Verification
Accounting and tax
Annual accounts, audit assessment, VAT and corporation tax
Turn complex requirements into actionable tasks
Each step has a clearly defined scope and documentation,
Do not substitute “guaranteed authorisation” for thorough preparation.
Business and boundaries
Map products, customers, fund flows and target markets to confirm the applicable regime.
Planning and preparation
Clarify responsibilities for entities, personnel, capital, policies, systems and documentation.
Submission and communication
Prepare applications and responses to enquiries under the official process, and track key issues.
Operations and maintenance
Connect approval conditions, annual filings, changes in control and ongoing compliance.
Keep up with regulatory changes and avoid being misled by outdated information
MLR registration is not full FSMA authorisation
Current registration, financial promotions and transition to the future regime must be assessed separately.
Client money safeguarding and capital must not be confused
Check account segregation, reconciliation, reporting and audit arrangements against the applicable regime.
Ongoing filings matter just as much after establishment
Plan entity type, annual obligations, identity verification and HMRC tax separately.
A global perspective on every local compliance question.
Ren Gang Yong Sheng (Hong Kong) Limited helps cross-border teams plan financial licensing, licensed-company transactions and full corporate lifecycle work, coordinating specialist legal, audit, tax and systems resources.
About Rengang YongshengFirst understand what needs to be prepared,
Then discuss how to proceed with the project.
Start with your actual tasks and organise business activities, funds, personnel and information item by item. The following is a communication preparation tool, not a regulatory application or eligibility assessment.
Apply for financial authorisation · Initial discussion checklist
Tick the items you have prepared. Any uncertainties can be clarified during consultation.
Currently selected 0 / 4 preparation items.
Ticking a box only indicates that you have gathered the relevant information; it does not establish eligibility or guarantee approval. Switching tasks clears the ticks; this tool does not save or upload information. Please do not send identity documents, client records or account passwords during consultation.