The approval marks the next step in Investa's mission to make options accessible, transparent, and intuitive for UK retail investors
London, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investa, the UK's first zero-commission options trading app, has been granted direct authorisation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The approval sees Investa transition from an Appointed Representative to a fully authorised firm with its own, independent regulatory permissions. This marks a significant stage in its growth and allows Investa to continue with its responsible innovation through regulated access to options markets for UK investors. This gives the company full control of its client offering and branding while continuing to provide good outcomes, trust, and service quality for its growing user base.
Before securing direct FCA authorisation, Investa raised £3.5 million from over 1,000 investors. This was achieved through two successful Crowdcube campaigns, alongside backing from angel investors at global banks, including Citi, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, UBS, and HSBC, as well as some of the world's largest hedge funds and proprietary trading firms. Investa is focused on lowering the barriers to entry in options trading, a market that has traditionally been the preserve of institutional investors in the UK.
Key milestones since Investa's launch:
- First 1,000 onboarded accounts
- Over $1,000,000 of customer trading activity
- Record trading volumes in March 2026, driven by strong retail demand for put options, underscoring the need for accessible tools to help investors protect portfolios during market downturns. Read more here.
- Over 225,000 tradeable option contracts available; increasing weekly with coverage scaling to 500,000.
- Winner of 'Best App for Options Trading' at the 2026 ADVFN International Financial Awards.
"As interest in options trading grows, it's critical that investors have access to a well-governed platform that they can trust. Being authorised allows us to deliver exactly that and ensures we can continue to operate with our high standards of integrity, competence and dedication to our clients," said Alec Beasley, Co-founder and CEO of Investa. "Our goal has always been to make the options market more accessible, and we are doing so with a strong focus on education, transparency and long-term investor outcomes."
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About Investa
Investa is a mobile-based stocks and options trading app designed for investors that was founded by a former Citi Options Broker.
Investa is the trading name of Investa Markets Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 1037289).
Disclaimer: Investa does not provide investment advice and you are responsible for your investment decisions using our services. Fees apply. The value of your investments can go up or down and you may get back less than your original investment. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Options are complex products and not suitable for all investors. Please review Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options prior to engaging in options trading.
Visit the website for more information: https://www.investa.co.uk/ or Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/investauk/
Download the app here.
For further press information, please contact: Francesca De Franco on 0794 125 3135 or email francesca.defranco@investa.co.uk
