Information on firms with peer-to-peer lending permission - August 2026


Reference Case Number: FOI2026/01642

Freedom of Information: Right to know request:

Please provide information about firms authorised under Article 36H of the Regulated Activities Order 2001 ("operating an electronic system in relation to lending"), the permission the FCA has previously confirmed it uses to interpret questions about peer-to-peer lending firms, as there is no formal category of "peer-to-peer company" (as stated in your October 2021 FOI response on this topic).

Specifically, I would like:

1.     The total number of firms currently holding "Authorised" status for this permission, as of the date of this request.

2.     A list of the names and Firm Reference Numbers (FRNs) of those firms.

3.     If available, a breakdown of how many of these firms are actively trading under this permission versus authorised for it but not currently offering P2P lending services (e.g. dormant, in wind-down, or holding the permission incidentally to a different primary business).

4.     The number and names/FRNs of firms that have had this permission cancelled or withdrawn, or had their authorisation removed, from October 2021 to the present.

FCA response:

Supporting document

FOI2026/01642 Annex A