United Kingdom.
Business types that regulated firms in the United Kingdom commonly prohibit or review more closely. It is a guide to common practice, not a UK legal list and not the policy of any one firm.
Commonly prohibited.
Firms usually decline these outright.
- Illegal goods and services, including illegal drugs and weapons, and equipment for making or using them
- Adult content and services
- Gambling and lotteries, unless the business holds the right licence
- Pyramid schemes, get-rich-quick schemes and unregulated financial services
- Counterfeit goods, fake identity documents and document falsification
- Shell banks and shell companies, and structures that hide the beneficial owner
- Persons, bodies and countries under international sanctions or embargoes
- Bidding-fee and penny auctions
- Unfair, deceptive or abusive selling, including debt collection and debt settlement services
Commonly reviewed more closely.
Accepted only after enhanced due diligence and approval.
- Money transmitters, remittance and currency exchange businesses
- Payment facilitators and aggregators
- Lending, investment and brokerage services
- Charities and non-profit organisations
- Crowdfunding platforms and marketplaces
- Online pharmacies, tobacco and e-cigarettes, and firearms dealers
- Pre-loaded and gift cards
- Travel reservation services
- Weapons, defence and armaments suppliers
Countries.
Firms exclude sanctioned and embargoed countries and territories, and many exclude jurisdictions that the Financial Action Task Force designates as having serious strategic deficiencies. UK sanctions are implemented by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation.
What this means for Olympus UK.
Olympus’s UK services are provided through an FCA-authorised and regulated partner, which sets its own onboarding criteria. Being outside these lists does not guarantee an account, and appearing on them does not always mean refusal. To ask about a specific business type, write to hello@olympuspay.co.