FAQs

Risk appetite is defined as how much your organisation is willing to risk in order to meet your objectives. This will be influenced by industry conditions, competitors, current financial position and pricing models. We assess the trends in the currency markets to determine your business’s tolerance to any projected market movements and then propose a strategy that involves a level of risk that you are comfortable with.

We have standard deposit requirements for forward contracts*. This can be discussed with your account manager who will work together with our Risk & Treasury team to determine the agreed terms.

*Please note our Foreign Exchange Services (including our non-regulated Forward Contracts) are non-regulated activities and therefore, they are outside the scope of the PSRs 2017 and our API licence with the FCA.

Throughout the agreed period, your dedicated risk manager will communicate with you on a regular basis to report on the performance of the hedging programme and proactively identify new opportunities. All trades made during the term are available on the online platform which gives each client a transparent view of the transaction history.

Currency fluctuations create financial uncertainty for businesses around the globe. If you have a specialist managing your currency risk, significant value can be added to your business’s bottom line whilst removing any financial uncertainty caused by FX market volatility.

At Universal Partners we have teams of analysts and strategists putting in significant amounts of time and energy into our client’s risk management strategies. After an initial consultation, a proposal will be made that eliminates the amount of risk we feel your business requires whilst allowing the opportunity for maximum value to be obtained from the market.

We offer a full FX risk management product suite with each strategy designed to the exact requirements of each client. There are many variables involved in creating the right product, including the industry you operate in, your financial objectives and risk appetite. We offer passive solutions to remove currency risk entirely, or more active strategies that help maximise upside opportunities. A discussion with an FX risk management specialist is the first step to determining the strategy that fits your business.

Our list of currencies and approved territories is constantly updated. For a current list please contact your account manager if you are already client or get in touch on +44 (0) 207 190 9559 if you are a new customer.

At Universal Partners, we have access to multiple liquidity providers, this ensures that the best possible rate is secured for each transaction. Due to the complex nature of the FX market, no payment provider can promise the best exchange rate, however we do take specific measures to secure rates that will add value to your business. Our specialists are trained to identify the optimum market entry point for trades, ensuring that no value is lost.

We have many precautions to keep your funds safe. Your online account is secured by two- factor authentication and we conduct verification checks over the phone to ensure only approved contacts can set up and confirm trades. When you send funds to us, they are held in segregated client accounts which keeps them separate from everyday business funds. The payment process includes dual verification on all new beneficiaries to ensure all information is correct and the funds are sent to the correct place.

The swift payments system is the technology that powers all our transactions. It is connected to an international pool of banks owned by VISA, which means that from the moment your funds are received into your account it takes on average 5 minutes for the funds to be converted and within 2 hours be received anywhere in the world. When payments are sent you will receive a full Proof of Payment with an International Banking Receipt known as an MT103 attached which you can then send onwards to your suppliers.

The speed of the payment process comes down to how fast your funds take to land in our Universal Partners client account. Once we have received the funds we can send them to your beneficiary on the same working day if received before the payment schedule cut off time. (These differ depending on the destination territory)

Once you have an account with us, you can book your trade on the online platform but to get a bespoke service we recommend that you contact your dedicated account manager at any time to discuss your requirements. Once exchange rates are agreed the transaction is confirmed and funds are sent the same working day, subject to compliance checks.

We cover all transaction fees on behalf of our clients. We do this so that every recipient always receives the full payment amount and that no costs are passed onto our clients.

Yes, when signed up to Universal Partners, you are instantly qualified to open collection accounts. Through our service providers, collection accounts provide businesses the ability to have multi-currency IBANs in your own company’s name without navigating the red tape that is normally involved. For more information please refer to our Services page.

Yes, we also work with some high-net-worth individuals who may be buying or selling properties or businesses. When completing our application form simply choose ‘Private Client’ at the first stage.

We work with any business that has a cross-border payment requirement. We typically work with businesses in the manufacturing, shipping, wholesale, retail and broad range of other sectors.
Due to our detailed approach and priding ourselves on making a real impact, we recommend that businesses that have a significant FX exposure work with us so that the currency risk can be managed proactively.
We also specialise in travel businesses and possess several very experienced travel specialists. We are in an exclusive partnership with ABTA, the largest travel association in the UK which allows us to work with some of the biggest travel businesses in the UK.

Once you have sent your application, we should have everything we need to proceed to final checks and open your account. However, if required information is not supplied in the application form or available publicly, we will reach out to you for some additional documentation. This might include identity documents, financial information or company documents.

As soon as our compliance team have received your application, the process will start. The process can vary in time according to size of your organisation and the industry you operate in. On average we have accounts fully authorised and ready trade within 48 hours.

Your actual saving on an FX transaction is determined by multiple moving factors such as the transaction volume, the currency pair booked, your existing provider’s rates and most importantly the decision making around market entrance. We offer a free consultation which allows us to make an estimation on the value added before you proceed to make a transaction.

Whilst we predominantly work with UK businesses, we do work with clients overseas through our service providers in territories such as Ireland, North America, Europe and Australia.

From the moment your account is open you will have access to a fully integrated Online Platform. You will be able to access and manage all your payments, beneficiaries, balances, account details and statements from our secure and easy-to-use trading portal.

We have a more detailed and personal approach to banks, intermediaries and online transfer apps. Compared to banks, we offer more competitive exchange rates, and we work exclusively with those who require FX services rather than the general services a bank offers. Other intermediaries will provide a similar service to us, however at Universal Partners, we pride ourselves on the time and effort we put into designing bespoke strategies, which leads to a more effective result. As well as online transfer services we also provide our clients with proactive communication to give insights into every step of the transaction.