Arbuthnot Latham Targets US Expats Amid Rising UK Influx

Andrew Grimes, director of international private banking at Arbuthnot Latham, notes that the UK is increasingly becoming a strategic hub for American businesses and families. Despite the complexities of US worldwide taxation, the appetite for British residency is rising, with 8,790 US citizens applying for UK citizenship in 2025 alone. This influx challenges the prevailing narrative of capital flight, as these expats bring both capital and commercial ambition to the region.

The bank’s new Global Direct Service aims to navigate the specific tax and reporting burdens that often deter other financial institutions from serving this segment. Unlike firms that retreated from the US market following the 2010 compliance shifts, Arbuthnot Latham is positioning itself as a specialist provider, offering direct ownership of global equities and government bonds. With a minimum investment of £750,000, the service caters to a demographic that Grimes describes as increasingly younger, with many clients now in their 30s rather than their 40s.

Market competition remains high, with firms like MASECO and Shard Capital also vying for this specialist business. Arbuthnot Latham plans to differentiate its offering through a long-term advisory approach that balances systematic equity selection with the stringent regulatory requirements faced by global Americans. For the bank, the strategy is a logical extension of its existing private banking model, leveraging two decades of experience to support clients navigating the intersection of US tax law and UK investment opportunities.