United Kingdom

Licensed Companies
In United Kingdom

FCA permissions are the ones counterparties outside the EU recognise first, and buying the entity keeps an authorisation history that a fresh application cannot have.

41

positions listed today

12–20

weeks to source and transfer, typically

6

licence types covered here

A.I. Overview

A UK firm authorised or registered by the FCA can be bought, but the permission never moves on its own: the buyer acquires the company, and every new controller needs the FCA's approval before completion. The FCA has 60 working days from a complete filing, and can pause the clock for up to 30 more.

RegulatorFCA
LicenceAuthorised electronic money institution (AEMI) · Authorised payment institution (API) · FCA authorisation for investment business (IFPR) · Cryptoasset business registration (MLR 2017) · Small payment institution (SPI) registration, PSRs 2017 · Small electronic money institution (SEMI) registration
ReachDomestic market only
Transfer window12–20 weeks
Change of controlPrior regulator approval required
Last verified2026-10-08
Know this first

Closing before the FCA approves the controller is an offence, not a paperwork gap. For crypto, an MLR registration does not turn into an FSMA authorisation by itself: the application window runs from 30 September 2026 to 28 February 2027, and from 25 October 2027 a firm without one cannot operate.

Available now

What Is On The Shelf In United Kingdom

Each position was verified before it was published. The price is what you pay us, and it includes the transfer work.

41 companies
Buy or build

Ready-Made Or From Scratch In United Kingdom?

Buying the entity shortens the queue, not the diligence. Getting the licence from zero is cheaper in fees and far longer in months — the trade is time against cost, and the numbers are on the jurisdiction page.

Ready-made

  • Live in 12–20 weeks
  • Licence already granted
  • Priced as an asset, audit included
  • You inherit the history — which is why we audit it

From scratch

  • Months, not weeks
  • Outcome not guaranteed
  • Lower cash cost, higher time cost
  • Clean history by construction
Questions

Questions Buyers Ask First

01How long does a transfer in United Kingdom actually take?
Typically 12–20 weeks from signed terms to the entity being yours. The variable is the regulator, not the paperwork: the change of control is assessed before completion, and that assessment sets the calendar.
02What does FCA check about the buyer?
Fitness and propriety of the incoming owners and managers, the source of the funds, and whether the business model after the sale still matches what was authorised. A clean, documented answer to those three shortens the process more than anything else.
03Is a company in United Kingdom usable outside it?
Only within its home market, with cross-border work handled case by case. If you need reach across the EU, look at a jurisdiction whose licence passports instead.
04What if nothing is in stock right now?
Then the card says so. We source against a written brief through the partner network, quote a real figure once a position is found, and never claim to hold a company we do not. The first buyer who asks to see documents is the last one who would come back otherwise.

Ask about United Kingdom

Tell us what the company has to be able to do and when you want to be live. We come back with availability, a real price and the transfer timetable.

Open your shortlist ⟶ office@protegra.io