Optimal Currency

Optimal Currency: international currency transfers from Thame

Optimal Currency Limited is a company registered in England and Wales under company number 11627191, with its registered office at 13 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3ER. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Authorised Payment Institution with Firm Reference Number (FRN) 830790, and supervised by the FCA for compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations (MLR).

Transfer services for individuals and businesses

The company serves two main client profiles. On the personal side, it assists those buying or selling property overseas, those emigrating or returning to their home country, those transferring a pension, those sending money to family abroad, and those purchasing a vehicle or boat outside their country. On the business side, it serves businesses that need to manage import and export payments, process overseas payroll, or repatriate earnings from other markets.

The service is built around a dedicated broker or account manager who analyses the client's needs and determines the most suitable currency contract, with the stated aim of achieving competitive exchange rates and efficient, fee-free transfers, according to the company's own presentation.

How the process works

The procedure described by the entity consists of three steps. First, the client registers by opening a free account online or by calling the company to do it for them. Then, the client speaks with their assigned currency broker to lock in an exchange rate. Finally, they send the funds to Optimal Currency's client account, which forwards the currency directly to the destination.

Operating model and partner entities

Optimal Currency states that, wherever possible, it registers its clients directly under its own licence. However, in certain circumstances — such as specific currency requirements, jurisdictional regulations, or technology solutions that prove more efficient — it may refer clients to one of its partner institutions, which the company says have undergone a prior vetting process.

Among these partner entities are Ebury Partners UK Limited, authorised as an Electronic Money Institution (Financial Services Register No. 900797); Equals Money Plc, registered in England and Wales under No. 05539698 and authorised by the FCA to provide payment services (No. 488396), part of Equals Group Limited (No. 08922461); Global Currency Exchange Network Ltd, operating as GC Partners, authorised by the FCA under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (FRN 504346) and regulated by HMRC for anti-money laundering (registration No. 12137189); and Sciopay Ltd, incorporated in England and Wales under No. 12352935, licensed by HMRC as a Money Service Business (licence XCML00000151326) and authorised by the FCA as an Authorised Payment Institution (FRN 927951).

Client relationships and reviews

The company states that over 90% of its new clients come through direct referrals or recommendations, and that its goal is for every client to be satisfied after trading with it. Regarding reviews, it says it does not manually select Trustpilot comments to display only five-star ones, but rather aims for all its clients to want to leave a positive review and to act on the feedback received.

Location and contact

13 Upper High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, England, OX9 3ER