Alt 21 Limited: FCA regulated?

Acts as a payment agent

This firm does not hold FCA authorisation of its own, and acts as a payment agent under another firm's authorisation.

Agent for under a year
No FCA actions
Active company since 2017
Your funds are not FSCS protected

This is one of the company's FCA records. It separately holds full FCA authorisation under FRN 783837 →.

Responsible principal firm

PLAID FINANCIAL LTD. Reference number: 804718 Authorised View firm →

This company holds another FCA record

A company can hold several FCA records, covering different parts of its business, and each one carries its own permissions and protection. The reference number you were given decides which record applies to you.

ALT 21 LIMITED Reference number: 783837 Authorised

Website, phone number and address

Compare these against whatever you were given. Scammers clone real firm names and reference numbers but use their own phone number and website, so a detail that does not match the register is the clearest warning sign there is.

No website on the FCA register
Phone number

020 8068 7318
Address

45 Eagle Street, London, WC1R 4FS, United Kingdom

In the full report: 2 background checks

What kind of line 020 8068 7318 is
Who else gives the postcode WC1R 4FS

Past FCA permissions and consumer protection

Protection works through the principal
This firm acts as an agent of an authorised payment or e-money firm rather than holding its own authorisation. FSCS does not protect money held by an agent. Funds should be safeguarded by the principal, and the Financial Ombudsman Service may still be able to look at a complaint.

FCA disciplinary action and complaints

No FCA disciplinary action.

The Financial Ombudsman Service only publishes complaint figures for firms with 30 or more new complaints in six months, so there are none here for this firm.

Companies House record

The company behind the firm: its status, age, registered office and directors.

Company number: 10723112 (opens Companies House in a new tab)
Company status: Active
Company type: Private limited company
Incorporated: 12 April 2017 (9 years old)
Registered office: 45 Eagle Street, London, WC1R 4FS, England
Nature of business: Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified (SIC 64999)

Directors and company secretaries

Name	Role	Born	Appointed	Other companies
Robert Smith	Director	Jul 1965	25 Jun 2018	None
Pritesh Ruparel	Director	Jun 1987	27 Jul 2021	None
Barbara Ann Stock	Director	Feb 1960	1 Jun 2023	1 other company
CORNHILL SECRETARIES LIMITED	Corporate secretary	Not published	24 Oct 2023	–

Other companies run by these 3 directors

A firm is run by people, and their other companies are their track record: what they built, what closed, and anything that failed. It is the check most people never think to make.

other company: 1
still active: 1

In the full report: all 1 company, named

What each company does, and whether it is still trading
Which of these 3 directors sit on each board, and since when
Any that went into liquidation or administration
All 5 people who have ever been directors, with their dates

Key dates in its history

Alt 21’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (4) All events (11)

2026

21 August 2026

Status on the FCA register became "PSD Agent"

FCA register

2023

7 March 2023

Barry McCarthy stopped being a part-owner

Companies House

2017

12 April 2017

Incorporated at Companies House
Barry McCarthy became a part-owner (25–50% of shares)

Companies House

In the full report: all 11 events

All 11 events in its history (4 shown here)
Every director appointment and resignation: 7

Get the full report on Alt 21

Everything on this page, plus everything locked above, in one dated PDF you can keep, file or send on.

1 other company its directors have run, named
2 background checks on its contact details
All 11 events in its history

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Alt 21 Limited FCA authorised?

Alt 21 Limited (FRN 1062600) is on the FCA register as an agent of an authorised payment or e-money firm. It does not hold its own authorisation: it acts under the principal's, and the principal is responsible for the money.

What is Alt 21’s phone number?

The FCA register lists the phone number 020 8068 7318 for Alt 21. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.

Is Alt 21 a scam or clone?

Alt 21 is a genuine FCA-listed firm, and the FCA has published no warnings about fake versions of it. Scammers do copy real firms, though, so check that any contact details you were given match the ones on the register.

Is my money safe with Alt 21?

Alt 21 is an agent, so it does not hold its own FCA authorisation and FSCS does not protect money held by an agent. Your money should be safeguarded by the authorised firm it acts for. You can still refer a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which may be able to look at it.

Who owns Alt 21?

Companies House lists no one with significant control of Alt 21 now. Before that, it was controlled by Barry McCarthy.

Who runs Alt 21?

Companies House lists 3 directors of Alt 21: Robert Smith, Pritesh Ruparel and Barbara Ann Stock.

How long has Alt 21 been in business?

The company was formed on 12 April 2017.