# Fintech licensing in United Kingdom

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/united-kingdom/

In United Kingdom, fintech and crypto licences are issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Atlas covers 9 licence types there, in 6 families: electronic money institution, fund manager, investment firm, lending, payment institution and virtual asset service provider. Each licence page lists its legal basis, fees and decision period with sources.

## Financial regulators in United Kingdom

- [United KingdomFinancial Conduct Authority (FCA)The Financial Conduct Authority regulates the conduct of around 35,500 financial services firms and financial markets across the United King](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/fca-uk/)

## Fintech licences available in United Kingdom

### [Electronic money institution (EMI)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/)

- [EMI · United KingdomSmall Electronic Money Institution (SEMI) RegistrationFCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/united-kingdom-semi/)
- [EMI · United KingdomAuthorised Electronic Money Institution (AEMI)FCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/united-kingdom/)

### [Fund manager](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/fund-manager/)

- [FM · United KingdomAlternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM) Authorisation / RegistrationFCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/fund-manager/united-kingdom-aifm/)

### [Investment firm / broker-dealer](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/investment-firm/)

- [IF · United KingdomMIFIDPRU Investment Firm Authorisation (Part 4A FSMA)FCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/investment-firm/united-kingdom/)

### [Lending / consumer credit](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/lending/)

- [Credit · United KingdomConsumer Credit Full Permission Authorisation (Part 4A FSMA)FCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/lending/united-kingdom-consumer/)

### [Payment institution (PI)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/)

- [PI · United KingdomRegistered Account Information Service Provider (RAISP)FCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/united-kingdom-raisp/)
- [PI · United KingdomSmall Payment Institution (SPI) RegistrationFCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/united-kingdom-spi/)
- [PI · United KingdomAuthorised Payment Institution (API)FCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/united-kingdom/)

### [Virtual asset service provider (non-MiCA)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/vasp/)

- [VASP · United KingdomCryptoasset Business Registration (MLRs 2017)FCA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/vasp/united-kingdom/)

## Main laws

- [The Electronic Money Regulations 2011](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/gb-electronic-money-regulations-2011/): S.I. 2011/99
- [Financial Services and Markets Act 2000](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/gb-fsma-2000/): 2000 c. 8
- [The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/gb-money-laundering-regulations-2017/): S.I. 2017/692
- [The Payment Services Regulations 2017](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/gb-payment-services-regulations-2017/): S.I. 2017/752

## Path to market

Start by mapping the activities you plan to offer onto the licence types above; the activity pages show which licence permits each one. FCA offers pre-application meetings, an innovation hub and a regulatory sandbox; the regulator page explains how to use them. The application goes to FCA, together with the capital, governance and AML documentation the licence page lists.

Last verified: · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.