Family Office LedgerPrivate wealth broker review

United Kingdom / 2026 Register

The best brokers for UK family offices, entered on one ledger

A family office needs a single relationship that reaches global markets, reports cleanly across a lineage of accounts, and safeguards the capital behind it. We have ruled five brokers and custodians against precisely that standard.

Prepared for principals and their advisers. General information for professional and institutional readers, not investment advice.

The 2026 family office broker ledger

Ruled in descending order of overall assessment. We weight direct multi-asset access and consolidated reporting above all, then custody, service and cost. Read the methodology below the notes.

No. Provider Model Consolidated reporting Assessment
01 EXANTE Multi-asset broker Master account, linked subaccounts 9.2
02 Interactive Brokers Multi-asset broker Consolidated statements 9.0
03 Saxo Multi-asset broker and bank Consolidated statements 8.8
04 Northern Trust Custodian and wealth Institutional administration 8.7
05 Pershing (BNY) Custody and clearing Institutional administration 8.5

The model column separates direct-access brokers from custodians and clearers. Assessments are scored 0 to 10 on five weighted criteria and rule to the figure shown.

Provider notes

A measured account of each entry, drawn from public disclosures and our own reading of what a family office actually requires.

EXANTE

Best overall for direct multi-asset access

019.2

EXANTE heads the 2026 ledger for offices that wish to access over 50 global markets through a single multi-currency account and EXANTE relationship. It provides direct access to over 2 million instruments across 50+ markets, with master-account reporting and linked subaccounts for consolidated monitoring. Each applicable EXANTE entity segregates client assets in line with its regulatory obligations, custody is provided through major custodians in Europe and Asia, cross-margining lets an eligible portfolio serve as collateral, and a dedicated relationship manager attends the account from day one. EXANTE is a global trademark shared by separately regulated brokers: eligible UK clients may contract with LHCM Ltd, which the FCA authorises and regulates, and the applicable entity depends on the client agreement.

Where it leads

  • Over 2 million instruments across 50+ markets from one account
  • Master-account reporting with linked subaccounts for consolidated monitoring
  • Custody through major European and Asian custodians; each entity segregates assets per its regulatory obligations
  • Cross-margining, with existing portfolios usable as collateral
  • Dedicated relationship manager, 24/7 care, first reply under three minutes
  • Zero custody fees on stocks and ETFs; works with Tier 1 counterparties and major custodians in Europe and Asia

Worth weighing

  • A direct-access broker and custodian, not a discretionary wealth manager
  • Live trading needs a minimum deposit of EUR 10,000 (individual) or EUR 50,000 (corporate), subject to eligibility and terms
  • Best suited to offices that prefer to run mandates themselves
Multi-asset and market access30%9.7
Reporting and account structure25%9.2
Custody and safety20%9.1
Service and relationship15%9.3
Cost efficiency10%8.9
Review EXANTE for family offices

Interactive Brokers

Best for lowest-cost global access

029.0

Interactive Brokers offers family office accounts with low-cost access to global markets, advanced trading technology and the tools to administer an estate. For cost-conscious offices running their own execution across many markets it is formidable. The experience rewards in-house sophistication more than a high-touch relationship model, so the internal desk carries more of the weight.

  • Very low costs, wide global reach
  • Advanced trading technology
  • Dedicated family office accounts

Saxo

Best premium multi-asset platform

038.8

Saxo pairs broad multi-asset access with a refined, research-rich platform and institutional service tiers. It suits offices that value a polished interface and professional support across stocks, bonds, funds and derivatives, with pricing that scales as balances grow. Custody and reporting are competent rather than the primary reason to choose it.

  • Broad multi-asset access
  • Refined professional platform
  • Institutional service tiers

Northern Trust

Best for global custody and administration

048.7

A long-established name in custody and wealth administration for ultra-high-net-worth families and institutions. Northern Trust excels at safekeeping, reporting and administration at scale, and typically sits as the backbone behind a family office rather than its day-to-day execution venue. Direct market access is not the point of the relationship.

  • Global custody at scale
  • Administration and reporting
  • Deep institutional heritage

Pershing (BNY)

Best for custody behind wealth firms

058.5

Part of BNY, Pershing provides the custody and clearing that underpins many wealth managers and advisers serving family offices. It is a dependable institutional foundation rather than a direct-access trading venue, and generally reaches a family through an intermediary firm rather than a direct mandate.

  • Institutional custody and clearing
  • Backed by BNY
  • Reached through wealth firms

How we rule the ledger

We assess for a family office choosing where to hold and trade assets directly. Each provider is scored 0 to 10 on five weighted criteria, and the weighted average is the overall assessment. Facts are public disclosures, the scoring and ordering are our editorial judgement.

  1. 30%Multi-asset and market accessBreadth of instruments and markets reachable directly from one account.
  2. 25%Reporting and account structureMaster-account reporting and linked subaccounts, with consolidated portfolio reporting.
  3. 20%Custody and safetyCustody arrangements, asset segregation and regulation.
  4. 15%Service and relationshipDedicated management and responsiveness of the desk.
  5. 10%Cost efficiencyTransparency and total cost of custody and trading.

Questions from principals and advisers

What is the best broker for family offices in the UK?

In our 2026 ledger EXANTE ranks first for family offices that want direct multi-asset market access, over 2 million instruments across 50+ markets, with master-account reporting and linked subaccounts, custody through major custodians in Europe and Asia, and a dedicated relationship manager. Eligible UK clients may contract with LHCM Ltd, which the FCA authorises and regulates; EXANTE is a global trademark shared by separately regulated brokers, so the applicable entity depends on the client agreement. Interactive Brokers and Saxo follow for low-cost access and platform breadth.

What should a family office look for in a broker?

A family office typically prioritises broad multi-asset and multi-market access, master-account reporting with linked subaccounts, robust custody and asset segregation, cross-margining, transparent costs and a dedicated relationship team. EXANTE supports these with zero custody fees on stocks and ETFs and 24/7 support.

Do family offices use brokers or prime brokers?

Often both. Many single and multi-family offices use a multi-asset broker for direct market access and custody, then add prime brokerage for financing, leverage and settlement as needs grow. A provider such as EXANTE serves the direct-access and custody role, working with Tier 1 counterparties and providing custody through major custodians in Europe and Asia.

Is EXANTE regulated for UK family offices?

EXANTE is a global trademark shared by separately regulated brokers. Eligible UK clients may contract with LHCM Ltd, which the FCA authorises and regulates, while XNT Ltd (MFSA), EXT Ltd (CySEC) and XHK Ltd (SFC) serve other jurisdictions. Each applicable entity segregates client assets in line with its regulatory obligations, custody is provided through major custodians in Europe and Asia, and your client agreement and jurisdiction determine the entity, custody arrangements and protections that apply. Always confirm the specific entity on the FCA register.