Manchester-based fintech Firenze has formed a strategic alliance with AJ Bell Investcentre, one of the country’s investment platforms. The collaboration enables financial advisers using the AJ Bell Investcentre platform to connect high-net-worth clients with Lombard lending facilities, allowing them to access liquidity secured against their investment portfolios.
Firenze, established in early 2024 by co-founders David Newman and Anna Curtis, specialises in embedded finance solutions that bring investment-backed loans to wealth managers and their clients.
The platform supports borrowing starting from £65,000, with loans secured against holdings such as General Investment Accounts (GIAs) or offshore bonds.
Eligibility depends on meeting specific criteria, but the core advantage is clear: clients can obtain funds without liquidating assets, interrupting long-term investment strategies, or realising capital gains tax liabilities that would arise from selling investments.
This arrangement positions AJ Bell Investcentre advisers to refer suitable clients to Firenze for streamlined facilitation of these loans.
Lombard lending has traditionally been associated with private banking clients holding substantial portfolios, but Firenze’s model aims to broaden availability within the wider wealth management sector.
By keeping assets in situ, borrowers maintain market exposure and potential growth while addressing short-term or strategic liquidity needs, whether for immediate expenses or broader financial planning goals.
David Newman, CEO of Firenze, highlighted the rising interest in such solutions.
He noted that advisers are increasingly recognizing the role of Lombard lending in addressing clients’ cash requirements.
Clients, he observed, are growing more sophisticated about using both sides of their personal balance sheets—assets and borrowing capacity—to support their objectives.
Newman expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, describing the work with the AJ Bell team as a positive experience in extending this capability to assets held on the Investcentre platform.
From AJ Bell’s perspective, Mark Rendle, the firm’s advised managing director, emphasised the tax-efficient appeal.
Advisers, he said, are seeking flexible approaches to safeguard and manage client wealth.
Lombard lending provides an option to access liquidity for various financial plans without forcing the sale of investments or the associated tax consequences.
Through the link with Firenze, high-net-worth clients can borrow against portfolio value while preserving their existing investment approach.
The partnership marks another platform relationship for the expanding Firenze, which already collaborates with firms overseeing a combined £200 billion in assets under management.
The fintech’s growth trajectory was further supported by a £6 million funding round in April 2026, led by AlbionVC with continued backing from existing investors including Outward VC and Form Ventures.
This capital injection followed earlier seed funding and reflects institutional confidence in Firenze’s approach to embedding credit solutions within wealth platforms.
For advisers and clients on AJ Bell Investcentre, the new link introduces a practical tool for managing liquidity in a tax-aware manner.
It allows portfolios to remain invested and compounding while providing access to capital on competitive terms relative to unsecured alternatives, subject always to individual circumstances, portfolio composition, and lending assessments.
As demand for flexible wealth solutions continues, collaborations of this kind illustrate how fintech and established platforms are working together to modernise traditional private banking products for a broader professional adviser market.