The United Kingdom

Banking services in the UK

The United Kingdom is at the heart of the world’s finance industry and through its bustling City of London hub, central location on the map (catering to all time-zones) and strong independent currency, it only continues to evolve and grow as a leading finance and banking centre.

The UK attracts foreign direct investment from all over the globe, coming third behind the US and China and receiving more FDI than any other European country. And, despite its departure from the EU in 2020, the UK has maintained solid relationships with Europe and with its language, time zone and highly skilled and qualified workforce remains a strong jurisdiction for international business.

Accountants, international corporations, lawyers and family offices seeking support with international banking requirements need expert providers who have extensive experience working with the major banks to offer their clients a streamlined and efficient solution when it comes to their UK banking requirements.

Doing Business in the UK: the benefits

The UK offers an attractive, business-friendly environment with a stable economy, exceptional talent and robust regulatory and legal frameworks in place, making it one of the easiest markets to set up, scale and grow a business.

With an array of tax reliefs and incentives offered to international businesses, the UK has a competitive advantage within Europe for doing business. Attracting global talent, taking an innovative approach to growing businesses, and infrastructure are amongst some of the benefits businesses can avail of in the UK.

The UK’s central bank and banker to the Government is The Bank of England which was founded as a private bank in 1694. In its prominent location in the City of London and at the heart of the UK’s finance industry, the Bank of England works to keep the UK financial system stable and is responsible for regulating and supervising the major banks and their activity under the Prudential Regulation Authority.

In addition to the BoE, the UK’s other main regulatory body is the Financial Conduit Authority (FCA), responsible for regulating the conduct of financial services firms, supervising their activity and setting specific standards to ensure the UK’s financial markets are transparent and fair.

Banking in the UK

The UK’s banking sector is a leading global hub with an established reputation as one of the world’s most significant and innovative financial centres. As the largest banking sector in Europe it’s clear why it’s such a prime location for some of the world’s largest investments.

Home to over 365 banking institutions, a number of which are headquartered in the UK, the region’s banking sector is also a popular location for private and investment banking. And, as the regulatory landscape changes at rapid pace and technology is evolving to enable greater efficiency, the UK is leading the way in adapting and adopting new opportunities.

It can be relatively straightforward to set up a UK bank account, but when this comes to international investors this can take some time. We can assist with expert international banking solutions.

Corporate Treasury Banking: We enable International Corporates and CSPs to rapidly establish multi-currency corporate bank accounts required for non-resident and foreign-owned entities establishing UK subsidiaries or treasury hubs.
UK Real Estate Finance: We specialize in securing senior investment and development debt for Funds, Family Offices, and Real Estate SPVs acquiring commercial or high-value residential assets across the UK. We connect clients with lenders accustomed to cross-border holding structures.
Family Office Banking: We provide direct introductions for Family Offices and UHNW clients to premier private banks, establishing accounts that support UK investments, residency planning, and portfolio management.
International Payments: We secure accounts focused on global transaction banking and high-speed international payment systems for global cash settlements and transfers.

Case study - Corporate Banking

A UK-based family office engaged us to streamline banking across its multi-jurisdictional structure, which included 40 entities spanning active operating companies and low-activity vehicles. With significant liquidity and a complex trust framework, the client required a banking partner capable of efficient onboarding, competitive deposit terms, and flexible capital deployment. We facilitated direct engagement with a Tier 1 offshore bank, securing agreement to onboard all entities with streamlined documentation, support for real estate and energy investments, and continuity through relationship transitions. The engagement demonstrated our ability to deliver bespoke banking infrastructure for sophisticated, cross-border investment groups.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can support you with your international banking requirements in the UK.