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US citizens in the UK · Institutions

Which Lightyear accounts accept US citizens

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Lightyear has been checked for US citizens across 2 account types. Both are closed to a US person.

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Account Verdict Last checked
Stocks & shares ISAs Skip
Brokerage accounts Skip

Stocks & shares ISAs

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The ISA pages are silent on nationality and the eligibility FAQ is not: Lightyear cannot offer its products or services to a tax resident or citizen of the United States, and that bar sits at account level so it takes the ISA with it. It also states plainly that it cannot offer US-listed ETFs because of the rules restricting US-domiciled funds to European customers.

FSCS £85,000 investment cover · money market fund holdings are not FSCS protected

Source: Lightyear eligibility FAQ, 2026-08-17 Last checked Lightyear's own page

Brokerage accounts

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Lightyear declines on citizenship rather than residence, naming US citizens and US tax residents among the cases where it cannot offer services, so living in the UK does not help.

FSCS £85,000 investment cover · Lightyear UK Ltd

Source: Lightyear eligibility page, 2026-08-17 Last checked Lightyear's own page

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Confirm your own position with a cross-border specialist. Acceptance policies and tax rules change, and your facts may differ from the general case. Rates and terms here are the provider's published figures rather than an offer, and the provider decides each application on its own criteria. Use this as a map, not a ruling. Last checked .
Tax

PFIC

Almost every UK-domiciled fund is a PFIC, taxed by the US at punitive rates with heavy filing. This is why US citizens hold individual shares, not UK funds.

 Tax

ISA US tax

The IRS does not recognise the ISA wrapper. Cash ISA interest and stocks ISA gains are taxable on your US return, and fund holdings drag in PFIC rules.

 Tax

FATCA

FATCA makes UK banks report accounts held by US persons to the IRS. It is not a tax; it is a reporting trail. Where it bites is access.