United First Partners

What United First Partners does

United First Partners (UFP) is a global financial services firm founded in 2009, headquartered in New York with regulated entities and offices across London, Paris, Geneva, Dubai, Melbourne, and Miami. The firm specializes in Special Situations Advisory, built on a multi-product platform spanning Securities (Sales & Trading, Clearing & Settlement), Research (Special Situations, Corporate Access, Activism), Advisory (Corporate Finance & Capital Markets, Alternative & Illiquid Investments, Wealth Management), and two specialized verticals — UFP Aquilor Capital for sports and entertainment investments, and UFP Fintech (Systema Nova Ltd) for early-stage fintech/proptech/legaltech venture investing.

Core technology consists of FIX-enabled execution infrastructure supporting a full suite of agency algorithms (VWAP, TWAP, IS, PEG, POV, ICEBERG, pair trading) across lit and dark pools globally, with regional online research platforms and mobile apps (Apple Store / Google Play) delivering real-time research to European, North American, and Asian clients. Clearing and settlement is delivered through strategic partnerships with Instinet (Nomura Group) for global markets and RBC Capital Markets for North American markets, providing straight-through-processing. The proprietary Special Situations Research offering combines rigorous fundamental analysis with in-house legal expertise covering antitrust, regulatory, and legal catalysts — a capability that has been independently recognized by the CNBC / Thomson Reuters EXTEL Survey in 2014 and 2015.

UFP's business model is transaction- and advisory-fee driven across institutional clients: hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, pension funds, insurance companies, corporates, and endowments. Revenue streams include commissions and transaction fees from securities execution, advisory and success-based fees from M&A and capital markets mandates, and gains from alternative investments, sports/entertainment principal deals, and the fintech venture portfolio. Distribution is direct-institutional via field sales across seven global offices, supported by referral relationships with leading financial, legal, and accounting firms. The Mariana alliance (May 2017) provides complementary capabilities in tax advisory, structured products, funds, and estate planning. Customer concentration is institutionally diverse across client types but undiversified by named deal count — the December 2025 Mayflower IPO introducing-broker role on a USD 500M London listing is a high-profile recent mandate, while the firm's research and execution relationships span recurring institutional accounts rather than discrete named logos.

Name

United First Partners

Legal name

United First Partners SA

Website

https://utdfirst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

United First Partners is a global financial services firm founded in 2009, specializing in Special Situations Advisory across Securities, Research, and Corporate Finance, serving hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, pension funds, corporates, and insurance companies through seven offices in New York, London, Paris, Geneva, Dubai, and Melbourne.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Banking

NAICS

Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231), Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (523150), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Dealer Platforms (Multi-Asset) (FSAFAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Capital Introduction (LP/Family Office/Endowment Matching) (FSAEALAI), Institutional API Connectivity, OMS/EMS & FIX Gateways (FSADAJAJ), Direct Lending — Senior Secured (First Lien) (FSAHAJAA)

Keywords

• Special situations advisory
• Institutional brokerage services
• Sales and trading execution
• Merchant banking advisory
• Wealth management advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Brokerage & Securities Trading: Execution services across all asset classes including equities, derivatives, and fixed income. Revenue generated through commissions and transaction fees on securities trading.
2. Financial Advisory Services: Merchant banking and advisory services including M&A advisory, corporate finance, capital markets (ECM/DCM), alternative investments, and wealth management. Revenue from advisory fees and success-based compensation.
3. Alternative & Illiquid Investments: Strategic partnerships in sale and purchase/sourcing of portfolios of assets and alternative investments including real estate, illiquid financial assets, equity and credit alternatives.
4. Sports & Entertainment Investment: UFP Aquilor Capital funds and advises sports and entertainment companies through credit and equity investments, including minority, majority, convert, crypto, distressed and restructuring deals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

United First Partners is a global financial services firm specializing in Special Situations Advisory, delivering institutional brokerage (sales and trading across equities, derivatives, and fixed income), clearing and settlement, special situations research, merchant banking and corporate finance (M&A advisory, ECM/DCM), alternative and illiquid investments, and bespoke wealth management. Services are distributed through directly regulated entities in the US, UK, France, Switzerland, UAE, and Australia, supported by FIX-enabled trading technology and partnerships with Instinet and RBC for clearing and settlement.

Product overview

United First Partners is a global financial services firm specializing in Special Situations Advisory with a multi-product platform. The core offering includes the UFP Research Platform (accessible via desktop and mobile app across Europe, North America, and Asia), supported by Sales & Trading and Clearing & Settlement services. The Advisory division encompasses Corporate Finance & Capital Markets, Alternative & Illiquid Investments, and Wealth Management & Investment Advisory. Additional specialized offerings include UFP Fintech (fintech/proptech/legaltech venture investments), UFP Aquilor Capital (sports & entertainment equity and credit investments), and Activism Advisory services. The Research division also provides Corporate Access and Special Situations Research combining fundamental and legal analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sales & Trading (Securities) Agency sales and trading providing execution across equities, derivatives, and fixed income with FIX-enabled trading technology supporting Algos/DMA strategies (VWAP, TWAP, IS, PEG, POV, ICEBERG, pair trading) in lit and dark pools, delivered to institutional clients including hedge funds, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurance companies, and corporates.
• Clearing & Settlement Clearing and settlement infrastructure delivered in partnership with Instinet (Nomura Group) for global markets and RBC Capital Markets LLC for North American markets, enabling seamless straight-through-processing for institutional clients' transactions.
• Special Situations Research Best-in-class research coverage of companies where specific events may serve as catalysts for significant price movements, combining rigorous fundamental analysis with proprietary in-house legal expertise covering legal, antitrust, regulatory, and other critical factors often overlooked by conventional sell-side analysts, distributed to institutional clients via the UFP Research Platform.
• UFP Research Platform Real-time research distribution platform accessible via dedicated regional online platforms for Europe, North America, and Asia, with both desktop and mobile app (Apple App Store and Google Play) access, providing clients with UFP's special situations research, corporate access, and related content.
• Corporate Access Exclusive, highly tailored one-to-one meetings providing institutional clients with direct access to industry leaders, company executives, politicians, and top-tier consultants to support investment diligence and relationship-building.
• Activism Advisory Comprehensive support to activist investors across European and North American markets, including shareholder communication, press campaigns, stake building and disposals, and board changes.
• Corporate Finance & Capital Markets Merchant banking, M&A advisory, equity and debt capital markets (ECM/DCM), structured products, and asset management services offered to institutional and private clients, including corporate mergers and acquisitions in Europe and North America.
• Alternative & Illiquid Investments Strategic partnerships for the sale, purchase, and sourcing of portfolios of assets and alternative investments, including real estate, illiquid financial assets, and equity and credit alternatives, targeted at institutional clients such as sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and family offices.
• Wealth Management & Investment Advisory Bespoke wealth management, investment advisory, and fiduciary services tailored for selected individuals, family offices, trusts, regional banks, and pension funds.
• UFP Aquilor Capital (Sports & Entertainment Investments) Credit and equity investments in sports and entertainment sectors covering player transfer financing, infrastructure financing, and distressed/restructuring deals, deployed through UFP Aquilor Capital.
• UFP Fintech (Fintech, Proptech & Legaltech Investments) Investment vehicle deploying capital into early-stage Fintech, Proptech, and Legaltech startups, managed by Systema Nova Ltd as an appointed representative of Met Facilities LLP authorized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority.

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Mayflower Acquisition LimitedflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 December 2025UFP served as introducing broker for Mayflower Acquisition Limited's IPO, raising USD 500 million on the London Stock Exchange. Mayflower is a UK-listed acquisition vehicle sponsored by TOMS Capital and JRJ Group, and represents among the largest primary new issues in London in 2025.
• MarianacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Strategic alliance formed in May 2017 between United First Partners and Mariana (founded in 2009 by former Lehman Brothers executives) to generate synergies across complementary business lines. Mariana offers global financial solutions including Market Strategy, Tax Advisory, Structured Products, Funds, and Estate Planning, complementing execution venue capabilities for Equity Derivatives, Commodities, and Fixed Income.
• Instinet (Nomura Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership with Instinet, the equity trading arm of Nomura Group, which acts as UFP's global clearing and settlement agent. Nomura Group boasts robust credit ratings of Baa1 from Moody's and BBB+ from Standard & Poor's.
• RBC Capital Markets LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationFully disclosed clearing relationship established by United First Partners LLC (US subsidiary) with RBC Capital Markets LLC to settle all transactions on North American markets, providing state-of-the-art execution and seamless straight-through-processing settlement solutions.
• Société Generale – SGCIBminorOthersSociété Generale referenced in regulatory disclosures as a counterparty or relationship entity.
• Royal Bank of CanadaminorOthersRoyal Bank of Canada referenced in regulatory disclosures as a counterparty or relationship entity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PJT Partners: Publicly listed boutique advisory firm with comparable special situations, M&A and capital markets advisory practices serving hedge funds, SWFs and corporates — the closest publicly traded comparable to UFP's advisory and event-driven franchise.
• Houlihan Lokey: Large independent advisory and capital markets firm providing M&A, capital markets, financial restructuring and financial advisory services to institutional clients globally — closely comparable to UFP's multi-jurisdictional special-situations and corporate finance offering.
• Centerview Partners: Private, founder-led independent advisory firm specializing in M&A, restructurings and special situations for large corporates and financial sponsors — a like-for-like boutique comparable in culture and mandate profile.
• Perella Weinberg Partners: Independent global advisory firm offering M&A, capital markets, and restructuring advice with strong special situations and activism expertise — directly comparable to UFP's advisory and activism franchise.
• Moelis & Company: Global independent investment bank with corporate finance, capital markets and asset management businesses; comparable mid-size boutique M&A and ECM delivery model and target client set.
• Evercore: Independent investment banking advisory firm with strong M&A, special situations and capital markets practices serving corporates and institutional sponsors — directly comparable in advisory focus and institutional client base.
• BTIG: Privately held global financial services firm offering institutional trading, research, corporate access and capital markets to hedge funds and other institutional clients — closely comparable multi-asset sales & trading and special situations coverage.

Broad incumbents

• Lazard: Global financial advisory and asset management firm with established special situations and M&A practices; overlaps with UFP's advisory franchise but operates at materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Jefferies Group: Full-service global investment banking and capital markets firm with significant mid- and small-cap ECM and special situations franchises — a larger incumbent competing for the same institutional and corporate clients as UFP.

Others

• ICAP (now part of NEX/Tullett Prebon/TPI): Global interdealer broker where UFP's CEO previously led the special situations desk; comparable voice/electronic broking and special situations ecosystem in which UFP's founder built his reputation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United First Partners