Goji

Goji is a UK-based business-to-business technology and services provider for private markets. The business was acquired by Euroclear in December 2022, with integration work and group reporting continuing into 2023. Founded in 2016 by Jake Wombwell-Povey and Alex Crocombe, Goji moved from a direct-to-retail P2P model to focus on digitising the investor lifecycle for private funds after the Euroclear acquisition.

Goji's website states that Goji Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 805323). However, independent sources report that Goji's FCA authorisation may have been removed; the information is contradictory. The definitive source for current regulatory status is the FCA Register — investors and advisers should verify FRN 805323 directly before relying on any regulatory claim.

Historically, Goji operated as an Appointed Representative (AR) of Sapia Partners LLP between 24 November 2016 and 19 October 2018, during which time it acted as an ISA manager for certain products, including distribution of the Blackmore Bond via third parties. Some Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) decisions have been upheld in relation to mis-selling complaints connected to the Blackmore Bond when Goji was operating under an AR arrangement.

Goji provides a white-label, end-to-end digital platform that automates the investor lifecycle for private market funds — onboarding, KYC/AML checks, document management, transaction processing and reporting — for asset managers, fund administrators and distributors rather than for direct retail customers. The platform can be integrated with Euroclear's FundSettle infrastructure to allow clients to access multiple fund asset classes through a centralised entry point.

For investors: individuals do not invest "in Goji" — they invest in the underlying funds or loans offered by the third-party platforms that use Goji's infrastructure. Fees, minimums, returns and investor protections are set by those underlying platforms and products. This separation matters because Goji provides the technology and operational services, not the investment management or credit underwriting for each product.

Goji provides technology and administration services enabling access to private market asset classes (private equity, private debt, venture capital, real estate, infrastructure) via partner platforms and fund managers. It does not offer its own proprietary retail investment products.

Fees: Goji charges institutional and platform clients via licensing and service arrangements (SaaS or platform fees). Retail-facing charges — where they exist — are set by the platforms using Goji. Goji does not publish a universal retail fee schedule because it is not the retail product provider.

Minimum investment, returns and default rates: minimums, historic returns and default statistics are specific to the third-party platforms and underlying loans/funds; Goji does not publish these as an aggregate.

FSCS coverage: Innovative Finance ISAs (IFISAs) and most unlisted private market investments are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Investors should not assume FSCS protection for products administered via Goji unless the underlying product/provider explicitly states such coverage.

Primary customers: asset managers, fund administrators and distributors who need digital infrastructure to scale private fund distribution and administration.

Indirectly, retail investors: individuals who invest through third-party platforms that use Goji's infrastructure (for example, certain IFISAs) are end-users of services administered on Goji technology, but their contractual counterparty and the product provider remain the platform or fund manager, not Goji directly.

Investment suitability, consumer protections and complaint routes depend on the product provider; retail investors should identify the legal issuer and the firm responsible for investment decisions and complaints.

Strengths:

• Integration with Euroclear: Being part of the Euroclear Group expands Goji's access to financial market infrastructure and institutional distribution channels, which may improve settlement, scalability and interoperability for fund administrators and managers.
• Technology that automates administration: Goji's platform automates onboarding, KYC/AML, document workflows and reporting, which can reduce manual error and operational cost for fund administrators.
• Wide distribution capability: company statements indicate more than 30,000 onboarded investors across 86 jurisdictions on platforms using its services. Broad distribution suggests the platform is used at scale by third parties, but it does not imply better investment outcomes for retail investors.

Risks and watch points:

• Regulatory status clarity: Goji's website claims FCA authorisation (FRN 805323), but external sources report conflicting information about whether authorisation has been removed. The FCA Register is the authoritative source and should be checked before relying on claims of regulation.
• Historical complaints: FOS decisions relating to the Blackmore Bond (involving Goji during its time as an AR) indicate past issues with appropriateness and disclosure.
• No direct investment track record or default metrics: as an infrastructure provider, Goji does not publish aggregated investment returns or default rates; these are product-level data points.
• Illiquidity: private market and P2P-style products are typically illiquid; Goji's B2B platform does not appear to provide a retail secondary market.
• FSCS: most IFISAs and unlisted fund investments are not FSCS-protected. Loss of capital is possible if the underlying loans or fund assets lose value or the product provider fails.

Key items to verify before investing via a platform that uses Goji:

• Confirm current FCA status for Goji Financial Services Limited (FRN 805323) on the FCA Register; reconcile any discrepancies between Goji's website and third-party reports.
• For any IFISA or private fund offered through a Goji-powered platform, confirm whether the product provider is authorised, what protections apply (FSCS or not), and who legally issues the securities or loans.
• Review platform-level historic default data, underwriting standards and security arrangements (e.g. charges over property), since Goji does not provide these statistics centrally.
• Be aware of name confusion: unrelated entities using "Goji" have had legal and product issues. Ensure you research the correct corporate entity and jurisdiction.

These checks address regulatory clarity, consumer protection, and the legal counterparty — all essential to assessing risk in alternative investments.