Buy or Invest in an existing Authorised Firm

Why Buy Rather Than Apply?

For some firms, acquiring or investing in an existing authorised firm can offer a significantly faster route to market than applying for a new licence from scratch. Rather than assessing an entirely new business and control framework, regulators are typically focused on the suitability of the incoming owners, controllers and any proposed changes.

This can result in a more streamlined and predictable approval process, particularly where the authorised firm has a clean regulatory history and established compliance arrangements. In practice, change-in-control approvals are often more efficient than new licence applications, provided the buyer is suitable and the transition is well managed.

That said, this route does come at a cost. Authorised firms with transferable permissions and strong compliance records can command a premium, and buyers should carefully balance price against the time savings and certainty gained.

How We Support Licence Acquisition

We can introduce prospective buyers or investors to authorised firms that are considering a sale or external investment. Our role is to support transactions from a regulatory and operational perspective, helping buyers understand exactly what they are acquiring and ensuring the process meets regulatory expectations.

Our support typically includes:

• Introductions to authorised firms seeking investment or a change of ownership

• Regulatory, compliance and operational due diligence for buyers

• Review of permissions, business model scope and regulatory history

• Assessment of AML, safeguarding, governance and control frameworks

• Identification of regulatory risks and required remediation

• Management of change-in-control and ownership approval processes

• Liaison with regulators throughout the approval process

• Support with post-transaction changes and regulatory integration

We focus on reducing regulatory risk, avoiding unnecessary delays and ensuring transactions are executed efficiently and with confidence.

Independent, Regulator-Focused Support

We do not provide investment advice or act as a broker. Our role is to provide independent regulatory, compliance and operational support to firms considering the acquisition of, or investment in, an authorised business.

If you are exploring this route, we would be happy to discuss whether licence acquisition is the right option for you.

For those who wish to launch their Fintech from scratch then the options below may be applicable.